DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings are big believers in letting prospects gain some experience in the Swedish Hockey League.
From Stanley Cup winners like Nicklas Lidstrom, Niklas Kronwall and Henrik Zetterberg to current Red Wings Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider, Detroit's past 30 years have been highlighted by players who cut their teeth in the SHL.
That’s why it isn’t a surprise the Red Wings are happy to see Axel Sandin-Pellikka going back home for the 2024-25 season. Their second pick in the first round of the 2023 NHL Draft -- chosen at No. 17, eight spots after they took forward Nate Danielson at No. 9 -- had 18 points (10 goals, eight assists) in 39 games for Skelleftea last season, which won the SHL title.
“Winning the Swedish championship was one of my dreams,” Sandin-Pellikka said at Detroit's development camp last month. “It is hard to complain about any season where I got to experience that.”
The 19-year-old defenseman also had six points (two goals, four assists) in seven games for Sweden in the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship, including an overtime goal that sent Sweden to the semifinals against Czechia before losing to the United States in the gold-medal game, 6-2.
After those performances, the Red Wings are confident he could handle the American Hockey League this season, but would rather he play a big role for Skelleftea than battle for ice time in Grand Rapids.
“He’s going to play quite a bit on a good team,” Detroit assistant director of player development Dan Cleary said. “He’s going to run the power play and he’s going to play a lot with the puck.
“He could come over and play in Grand Rapids, no problem, but Skelleftea is a real good developmental place in a good league and a good city.”
Sandin-Pellikka will also get experience playing with a teammate he hopes he is skating with for years to come: forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, who was selected by the Red Wings with the No. 15 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
“It will be nice to be home another year, and we’re going to be going for the gold,” Sandin-Pellikka said. “I know the coaches, I know my teammates and we have a good team, so I’ll stay and develop another year.”
Sandin-Pellikka has already shown the offensive skills that led to Detroit choosing him, but he said he needs work on the other end of the ice.
“I’m mostly trying to be better with my defensive game,” he said. “After practice, the coaches back home always make me defend some forwards in the corners. That’s what I’m working on.”
That’s just what the Red Wings want.
“Axel is a very smart player and he moves well, but it is hard for a defenseman to play a lot in Grand Rapids,” Cleary said. “We don’t see the harm of keeping him home. There’s no sense rushing him.”
