Sandin-Pellikka bringing puck-moving skills, vision to Red Wings’ blue line

DETROIT -- Axel Sandin-Pellikka has been in the NHL for a little over a month now, and in that time the Detroit Red Wings rookie defenseman has worked hard while trying to absorb as many important lessons as he can that have come on and off the ice.

“This is the best League in the world,” Sandin-Pellikka said. “I’m just getting used to that a little bit. A lot of players are quick and strong with the puck, so just learning how to use my brain out there. I think that’s just the biggest part of it.”

Chosen by Detroit with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Sandin-Pellikka has six points (two goals, four assists), while averaging 18:09 of time on ice in 20 games this season.

Entering Wednesday’s NHL slate, he ranked fifth among all NHL first-year blueliners in points behind Matthew Schaefer of the New York Islanders (15), Zeev Buium of the Minnesota Wild (10), Artyom Levshunov of the Chicago Blackhawks (10) and Alexander Nikishin of the Carolina Hurricanes (8).

“For a 20-year-old kid, the minutes he’s playing against good players, really impressive,” said Ben Chiarot, who has played the past 11 games on Detroit’s second defense pair next to Sandin-Pellikka. “His play with the puck, very calm. He makes the right play more than not. He’s going to be a good player for a long time.”

Chiarot believes Sandin-Pellikka has qualities like Josh Morrissey, his former teammate with the Winnipeg Jets.

“Using his feet and stick is how [Sandin-Pellikka] is going to defend for his whole career,” Chiarot said. “The quicker he gets, improves and works on that, the better he’ll be defensively. Those are going to be the keys for him…. [Morrissey is] a smaller guy, but he learned how to use his stick really well defensively. And now, he’s one of the best defensemen in the League. If Axe can figure those things out, which is something we try to preach to him as older guys and Trent Yawney talks to him about all the time…something for him to strive towards.”

Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan said Sandin-Pellikka’s calling card is his vision. In Sunday’s hard-fought win against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, the young Swede quarterbacked Detroit’s top power-play unit for the first time this season.

“A quarterback has to create opportunities, holes or ice for other people,” McLellan said. “Think of football – you got to be able to hold the ball long enough so your receivers can get to holes and stuff like that. Axe does a good job of that.”

There’s a lot to like in Sandin-Pellikka’s game, and McLellan is confident the 6-foot, 186-pound defenseman is just scratching the surface of his potential.

“Axe isn’t the biggest guy, but he’s not tiny,” McLellan said. “Dan Boyle was a real prime example for me –competitive and knew how to use what God gave him to the best of his ability. He knew what battle he could win and lose physically, and he was involved in all of them…Sometimes, when you’re not the biggest or strongest, you have to have legs and your head to get you out of trouble. Axe is still learning that. Yes, he’s played against men before in Europe on bigger ice. This happens a little faster here. It’s a little bigger and stronger. He’s 20 and he’s going to keep on learning throughout his career, but it’s going to be a good, long one.”