Continuing to light red lamps in Sweden, Detroit Red Wings prospect Axel Sandin Pellikka is charging down an SHL record. The defenseman was tallying his eighth goal of the SHL. He was recording a power-play tally on Saturday as Skelleftea downed MoDo Hockey 4-1. Sandin Pellikka was chosen 17th overall by Detroit in the 2023 NHL entry draft
The marker was the eighth of the SHL season for the teenager, who won’t turn 19 until March 11. Sandin Pellikka is now in a share of the SHL lead for goals by a teenager, sharing the standard with forward Jonathan Lekkerimäki.
“He is very, very good,” Skelleftea assistant coach Pierre Johnsson told Swedish website Expressen.se.
Sandin Pellikka is three shy of equalizing the SHL record for the teenaged defenseman. Both former NHLer Tomas Jonsson (MoDo, 1978-79) and current Dallas Stars defender Nils Lundkvist (Lulea, 2019-20) share the mark. Both were netting 11 goals in a season prior to their 20th birthdays.
Teammates Praising Sandin Pellikka
While his performance on the ice must certainly be exicting to Red Wings fans, Sandin Pellikka’s efforts are proving to be just as sensational in the eyes of those who are seeing him up close, his Skelleftea teammates.
“I hold him extremely high of the talents I’ve seen, with the way he plays,” Skelleftea captain Jonathan Pudas told Expressen. “Not many can do it as consistently as he does. He doesn’t think, it just happens. Pretty impressive.
“His skill and craftsmanship are on a level of their own. It’s damn fun to watch. A very humble guy, too.”
Johnsson has seen the time that the veteran defenseman Pudas, 30, puts into helping Sandin Pellikka hone his craft on a daily basis.
“Pudas stands and practices shots with him after each practice and tells him to the millimeter where he should stand to be able to pinch right away,” Johnsson explained. “Pudas may have some of the goals, but he (Sandin Pellikka) is obviously a skilled back who plays with high confidence now.”
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