RD Axel Sandin Pellikka - Skellefteå, SHL (2023, 17th, DET)

[Roomba With a Bauer]

There are way more disaster stories from defenders in the profile of Sandin Pellikka than sucess stories.

Remember how good of a D+1 Erik Brannstrom had and he was hyped to the moon.

The reassuring thing about Pellikka is that all of his pre-draft scouting reports commented on his willingness to make and take hits and the fact that he was at least sound defensively, although not spectacular in his own end. He's also apparently a gym rat and pretty much all of his extracurriculars are intensive sports activities. The guy isn't lazy.

He keeps getting typecast as an offense only defenseman but the scouting reports and limited game video I've seen paint him as more of a growing two-way defender.

He's not the Swedish Any Elmore.

 

[Fatass]

The reassuring thing about Pellikka is that all of his pre-draft scouting reports commented on his willingness to make and take hits and the fact that he was at least sound defensively, although not spectacular in his own end. He's also apparently a gym rat and pretty much all of his extracurriculars are intensive sports activities. The guy isn't lazy.

He keeps getting typecast as an offense only defenseman but the scouting reports and limited game video I've seen paint him as more of a growing two-way defender.

He's not the Swedish Any Elmore.

Is he playing ing the worlds?

 

[Roomba With a Bauer]

Is he playing ing the worlds?

I would be surprised if he was invited. He's a good prospect but I would imagine there are at least 8-10 guys more experienced and suited for a tournament with a lot of NHL talent.

 

[schuelma24]

The reassuring thing about Pellikka is that all of his pre-draft scouting reports commented on his willingness to make and take hits and the fact that he was at least sound defensively, although not spectacular in his own end. He's also apparently a gym rat and pretty much all of his extracurriculars are intensive sports activities. The guy isn't lazy.

He keeps getting typecast as an offense only defenseman but the scouting reports and limited game video I've seen paint him as more of a growing two-way defender.

He's not the Swedish Any Elmore.

To expand upon this ... he also ended up playing 20 minutes a game for the SHL champion in the playoffs.

 

[Roomba With a Bauer]

To expand upon this ... he also ended up playing 20 minutes a game for the SHL champion in the playoffs.

To be fair, though, Skelleftea had quite a few overtime games.

 

[schuelma24]

To be fair, though, Skelleftea had quite a few overtime games.

shhhhh (I think I saw a stat where he was #2 in icetime for Skelleftea..but I don't care enough to try and find it!)

 

[Tetsuo]

There are way more disaster stories from defenders in the profile of Sandin Pellikka than sucess stories.

Remember how good of a D+1 Erik Brannstrom had and he was hyped to the moon.

Totally. But Brannstrom has never scored 10 goals in a season dating back to his time in the Swedish Juniors, whereas ASP just scored 10 in an injury shortened season in the SHL, while helping lead his team to a SHL championship as a teenager.

A bit of an apples to oranges comparison, don't you think?

 

[Roomba With a Bauer]

Totally. But Brannstrom has never scored 10 goals in a season dating back to his time in the Swedish Juniors, whereas ASP just scored 10 in an injury shortened season in the SHL, while helping lead his team to a SHL championship as a teenager.

A bit of an apples to oranges comparison, don't you think?

BuT eVeRy WiNg pIcK iS BaD

 

[LeProspector]

Totally. But Brannstrom has never scored 10 goals in a season dating back to his time in the Swedish Juniors, whereas ASP just scored 10 in an injury shortened season in the SHL, while helping lead his team to a SHL championship as a teenager.

A bit of an apples to oranges comparison, don't you think?

I’d argue assists, and primary assists as an offensive defender prospect show much more than goals in regards to how a defender like that will translate to higher levels. Only 8 assists this season sort of scares me.


we’ll see though.

 

[raymond23]

I’d argue assists, and primary assists as an offensive defender prospect show much more than goals in regards to how a defender like that will translate to higher levels. Only 8 assists this season sort of scares me.


we’ll see though.

Why would assists translate more? What is your reasoning behind that? Have you watched him play? Honest questions that I'd love feedback on

As a fan who has watched a Seider, Raymond, Edvinsson, Kasper, Johansson, Wallinder, Berggren, Soderblom, etc compete in the SHL - ASP is the second best player out of that group in terms of SHL performance. At 18-19 years old. On defense. I'm not sure what else you could have asked of him after his playoff performance...

 

[Tetsuo]

I’d argue assists, and primary assists as an offensive defender prospect show much more than goals in regards to how a defender like that will translate to higher levels. Only 8 assists this season sort of scares me.


we’ll see though.

Based on what metric are assists more translatable? ASP just had as many points, as a defensemen, in his D+1 year as Lucas Raymond. I think it's fair to ask why he fell given that his skillset was known about pre-draft. What he just did is a pretty remarkable achievement among teenage defense prospects.

 

[ItWasJustified]

To be fair, though, Skelleftea had quite a few overtime games.

shhhhh (I think I saw a stat where he was #2 in icetime for Skelleftea..but I don't care enough to try and find it!)

He had 3rd most ice time for Skellefteå during the playoffs with two less games played than the two with more. But icetime isn't the most important thing when you play as good as he did in the playoffs.

 

[LeProspector]

Based on what metric are assists more translatable? ASP just had as many points, as a defensemen, in his D+1 year as Lucas Raymond. I think it's fair to ask why he fell given that his skillset was known about pre-draft. What he just did is a pretty remarkable achievement among teenage defense prospects.

he “fell” because small defenders come playoff time consistently struggle in their own end especially when they don’t have Hughes/Makar level offence to make up for it. Spoiler alert, this prospect isn’t on their level.

The NHL is going back to SIZE. You can teach a big guy how to skate better, and how to develop his individual skillset. You know what you can’t teach? Size and come playoff time it reigns supreme. More than everbefore.

Assists as a defender, especially primary assists prove a player is able to consistently find lanes and create scoring opportunities from the blueline. Goals are great don’t get me wrong, but for the most part high goal scoring defenders at lower levels don’t translate as well to the NHL where it’s more difficult for defenders to get shots through to the net, let alone beat the goalie as well. It’s just more efficient if a defender is shooting for sticks, deflections or rebounds than if they were picking their spot.

 

[theslatcher]

He had 3rd most ice time for Skellefteå during the playoffs with two less games played than the two with more. But icetime isn't the most important thing when you play as good as he did in the playoffs.

You're reading the stat wrong. He had 3rd highest ATOI, the one adjusted for per game. Total ice time he's way further down as you'd expect.

 

[ItWasJustified]

You're reading the stat wrong. He had 3rd highest ATOI, the one adjusted for per game. Total ice time he's way further down as you'd expect.

Total ice time matters even less.

 

[Pavels Dog]

I’d argue assists, and primary assists as an offensive defender prospect show much more than goals in regards to how a defender like that will translate to higher levels. Only 8 assists this season sort of scares me.


we’ll see though.

”Only” 8 assists? Do you follow SHL much? Erik Karlsson had 5 in his d+1. Gustav Forsling 3. Adam Larsson also had 8 in his 18 year old season and that made him a top 5 draft pick.

Add in the context that part of why he didn’t get more assists is he’s such a good shooter, i.e. if he was a bad shooter he’d be put in a more playmaking role on the PP (which is where he was in the playoffs = 5 assist in 14 games).

 

[13to40]

You can try to drive whatever narrative you want, I get it, you’re a Red Wings fan. I’m giving my opinion, and I have explained it. I’m sorry you disagree.

Your opinion is just hard to understand.

I get the logic of how primary assists usually mean the player has good on ice vision and High IQ.

But this player is the weapon on the PP; he isn’t the one feeding the puck to the weapon a la Backstrom to OV…

Not saying his shot is like OVs or anything close to the player OV is, so don’t get me wrong, but this is a player who has improved dramatically in his own end from the beginning of the season to the end while putting up crazy numbers for a young player in a league which isn’t high scoring like the CHL.

Is he the next Lidstrom, Bobby Orr, Makar, Hughes? No I don’t think so. I don’t think he will be anywhere near elite. But he has the tools to be great and a deadly PP1 option.

 

[Fatass]

Your opinion is just hard to understand.

I get the logic of how primary assists usually mean the player has good on ice vision and High IQ.

But this player is the weapon on the PP; he isn’t the one feeding the puck to the weapon a la Backstrom to OV…

Not saying his shot is like OVs or anything close to the player OV is, so don’t get me wrong, but this is a player who has improved dramatically in his own end from the beginning of the season to the end while putting up crazy numbers for a young player in a league which isn’t high scoring like the CHL.

Is he the next Lidstrom, Bobby Orr, Makar, Hughes? No I don’t think so. I don’t think he will be anywhere near elite. But he has the tools to be great and a deadly PP1 option.

Yup. Asp will be like Tyson Barrie. And that’s a much needed piece for the Wings. Frees up Seider to play to his skill set.

 

[LeProspector]

Your opinion is just hard to understand.

I get the logic of how primary assists usually mean the player has good on ice vision and High IQ.

But this player is the weapon on the PP; he isn’t the one feeding the puck to the weapon a la Backstrom to OV…

Not saying his shot is like OVs or anything close to the player OV is, so don’t get me wrong, but this is a player who has improved dramatically in his own end from the beginning of the season to the end while putting up crazy numbers for a young player in a league which isn’t high scoring like the CHL.

Is he the next Lidstrom, Bobby Orr, Makar, Hughes? No I don’t think so. I don’t think he will be anywhere near elite. But he has the tools to be great and a deadly PP1 option.

Detroit already have a good #1PP option in Seider. If that’s what Sandin Pellika needs to be successful in the NHL, them he’s going to have trouble getting that ice in Detroit.

I think he plays games in the NHL, but I don’t expect him to be a high impact player, I think he looks something like Oliver Kylington once he makes the NHL.

 

[Svedu]

I wouldn’t expect Red Wings fans know anything about playoff hockey anyway.

Don’t worry, next year is your year buddy!

Detroit already have a good #1PP option in Seider. If that’s what Sandin Pellika needs to be successful in the NHL, them he’s going to have trouble getting that ice in Detroit.

I think he plays games in the NHL, but I don’t expect him to be a high impact player, I think he looks something like Oliver Kylington once he makes the NHL.

Kylington was- is a completely other type of player.

 

[LeProspector]

Kylington was- is a completely other type of player.

Disagree, both are defencemen.

 

[Svedu]

Disagree, both are defencemen.

Wow, now I got it confirmed. That black or white perspective. I guess Bratt and Sundin are very similar too... Lol.

 

[LeProspector]

Wow, now I got it confirmed. That black or white perspective. I guess Bratt and Sundin are very similar too... Lol.

Bratt and Sandin play different positions to be fair, so of course it wouldn’t be fair to compare them.

 

[Svedu]

I wouldn’t expect Red Wings fans know anything about playoff hockey anyway.

Don’t worry, next year is your year buddy!

Detroit already have a good #1PP option in Seider. If that’s what Sandin Pellika needs to be successful in the NHL, them he’s going to have trouble getting that ice in Detroit.

I think he plays games in the NHL, but I don’t expect him to be a high impact player, I think he looks something like Oliver Kylington once he makes the NHL.

Also, very dumb to not use or try S.P´s PP-ability. That's where he would contribute the most. More specialized than Seider. Not saying he' ll be as good.
Therefor, either trade him or make him fulfill his potential for a potential trade.
Why would Detroit be so stupid according to you?

Bratt and Sandin play different positions to be fair, so of course it wouldn’t be fair to compare them.

sUndin. Not Sandin. You know irony? Because my point was their strengths, size and weaknesses. Pretty different players but both were- are forwards.

 

[13to40]

I wouldn’t expect Red Wings fans know anything about playoff hockey anyway.

Don’t worry, next year is your year buddy!

Detroit already have a good #1PP option in Seider. If that’s what Sandin Pellika needs to be successful in the NHL, them he’s going to have trouble getting that ice in Detroit.

I think he plays games in the NHL, but I don’t expect him to be a high impact player, I think he looks something like Oliver Kylington once he makes the NHL.

I think if all goes wrong he puts up numbers like Kylington….

Time will tell. That’s the fun thing with trying to project prospects. Sandin-Pellikka has really high potential. He needs a good off season and I don’t see why he can’t be obtaining what Detroit fans are expecting of him. I’m sure the Detroit scouts in Sweden will/are putting extra efforts towards moulding him into a true pro.