Sandin Pellikka aims to be latest Sweden-born success with Red Wings

DETROIT -- Axel Sandin Pellikka knew he was going to be stepping into a new world when the defenseman prospect reported to Detroit Red Wings development camp earlier this month.

It was the 18-year-old's first foray to camp after being selected by the Red Wings with the No. 17 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, and with that began the immediate adjustment to a new country and new language after arriving from his native Sweden.

Even more apparent right away to Sandin Pellikka is moving to the NHL is a huge step up in class.

"The facilities here are pretty much insane," he said. "I'm pretty shocked, because this is not what I'm used to in Sweden -- it's a lot better."

One factor making the adjustment a little easier is playing for an organization filled with familiar faces from his youth and recent past as well. National legends like Nicklas Lidstrom and Henrik Zetterberg still are around the team, and several fellow Sweden-born prospects hope to be a big part of Detroit's long-term fortunes, including forward Noah Dower Nilsson (third round, 2023 draft), defenseman Anton Johansson (fourth round, 2022 NHL Draft) and forward Maximilian Kilpinen (fourth round, 2022 draft).

Then there is the Red Wings' current roster, which includes four players from Sweden: forwards Lucas Raymond and Jonatan Berggren and defensemen Simon Edvinsson and Gustav Lindstrom.

"It has been a lot of fun, because I've been able to see and go out to eat with a lot of friends," Sandin Pellikka said. "But it is just a very cool organization to be drafted to because they've had a lot of legendary Swedes in the organization, plus they are part of the Original Six.

"I'm very honored."

As always, development camp was as much about a player's off-ice life as his game on it. Sandin Pellikka said he learned about everything from finances to better ways to work out to the best ways to get enough rest.

"It is a real eye-opener from a sense that this is my profession now," he said. "It isn't just something I love to do. I'm learning about how to invest my money and better nutrition and small things about sleeping that I had never heard before. It's a lot of things I'm taking note of for my future."

Especially in Sandin Pellikka's case; right-shot defensemen are not an organizational strength now, and that could work in his favor.

"We knew we needed the right kind of right-shot defenseman, obviously, and we really like his hockey sense and his poise with the puck," assistant general manager Kris Draper said. "When he was 17, he was running the power play for Sweden at the U-18s (five goals, 16 assists in 19 games in the 2023 IIHF World Under-18 Championship), and he has kept doing that at every level. He knows how to manage the puck and the game."

Sandin Pellikka (5-foot-11, 176 pounds) will return home for his second season with Skelleftea of the Swedish Hockey League, after he had five points (two goals, three assists) in 22 games last season, as well as 36 points (16 goals, 20 assists) in 31 games for Skelleftea's team in Sweden's junior league.

He'll take with him a detailed plan for improvement.

"I need to focus on my defensive game, he said. "My defensive coach in the SHL already works with me after every practice on 1-on-1 drills to be a better defender, but I still need to get stronger."