Detroit Red Wings prospect Axel Sandin-Pellikka is tearing it up in the World Junior Championships for Sweden
Axel Sandin-Pellikka, who is regarded as potentially the next great Swedish defenseman for the Red Wings, is having himself a great start to the WJC's.
The Detroit Red Wings are hoping for big things from Swedish defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka, who they selected with their Round 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
He's yet to make the permanent jump to North America, and is playing this year for Skellefteå AIK of the Swedish Hockey League.
And currently, he's representing Sweden on the international stage in the World Junior Championships, which began today in Canada. He was named their team captain, and he's started the tournament with a hats off performance - literally.
He completed the hat trick in Sweden's opening tournament game this afternoon against Team Slovakia:
It was part of a 4-point performance for Sweden, who earned a 5-1 win over Slovakia. He first tallied a power play goal late in the 2nd period, and followed it up with a pair of 3rd period goals.
In 25 games for Skellefteå AIK so far this year, Sandin-Pellikka has 22 points (8G, 14A).
The 2025 World Junior Championships are the 3rd occasion in which Sandin-Pellikka has played for Sweden; he had six points (2G, 5A) in seven games in the tournament last year, while registering a single assist in seven games in 2023.
Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman is expecting big things from Sandin-Pellikka in the future
Shortly after making the pick of Sandin-Pellikka, Yzerman noted his puck-moving skills while also saying he expects him to have a solid placing in Detroit's lineup at sometime in the future.
He's a little different in a lot of our D prospects. He's a different type of player, and he'll fit in nicely with our group of defensemen I feel in a couple years.
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