Player information
Position – Defence
Height – 5’11 (180cm)
Weight – 82kg (181lbs)
Date of Birth – 11th March 2005
Shoots – Right
Nation – Sweden
Introduction
Axel Sandin-Pellikka is a quick, offensive minded defenceman who draft stock has risen exponentially this season with his huge increase in offensive production. Sandin-Pellikka boasts an already impressive skillset with a range of tools that all contribute to his mature and confident playing-style. Sandin-Pellikka struggled last season with offensive production however this season Axel’s issue seems like a distant memory with his impressive 1.14 Point-per-game average in J20 Nationell (compared to last years 0.21) including his standout performances in the SHL for Skellefteå AIK this year. Axel Sandin-Pellikka’s name has been thrown around a lot when looking at the best defenceman in this draft class and today we will look at why this claim is so valid.
Offensive play
I believe Sandin-Pellikka’s best work is done in the offensive zone, and this is not a slight on his defence but more of a compliment to his offense. Firstly, when looking at Sandin-Pellikka’s offensive game it is hard to miss his impressive powerplay work. Sandin-Pellikka is the perfect defenceman for any teams powerplay with his versatility and adaptability shining leading to 6 powerplay goals and 13 powerplay assists this season. One of the reasons for Sandin-Pellikka’s powerplay dominance is how comfortable he is to play different roles as we often see Sandin-Pellikka pinch down into more of a Left Wing position with the aim to one-time pucks on net. Paired with his ability to act as a forward on the powerplay is his sneaky skating which allows him find space at the backdoor or in the slot without being picked up by defenders.
The clip above perfectly shows how Axel Sandin-Pellikka operates on the powerplay. I want to point out how active Sandin-Pellikka is in his movement as we constantly see him scanning and reacting to how the penalty kill move and we see slight adjustments in where he positions himself moving between the point and the faceoff circles. In the end when Sandin-Pellikka receives he one times his shot giving the netminder no chance to make the save.
Which brings me on to his shot which is another excellent tool in his game. Axel Sandin-Pellikka can get his shot off from anywhere on the ice and does well to shoot whilst in stride with little tell on when he is releasing his shot. Although, sometimes when attacking with speed, his accuracy can be slightly wild but with age I believe this will rectify itself.
When Axel has time to get his shot off, the accuracy issues disappear as he has terrifying accuracy matched with a lightening release in all his shots. Sandin-Pellikka can rip slapshots and wrist shots from anywhere in the offensive zone. I would say Axel prefers to shoot first time with his booming slapshot but when the one-timer isn’t available he has the ability to take his time and shoot which is just as effective.
When we look at when Sandin-Pellikka assists we see a much deeper game than just tape to tape passes. We see Sandin-Pellikka manipulate the puck to keep defenders guessing as he can switch between telegraphing a pass to telegraphing a shot. In addition to this, his overall hands are incredible with his ability to keep the puck on his stick which can open up space for teammates by forcing defenders into making mistakes.
When Sandin-Pellikka does pass we see a real nice weight to most of his pass making it easy for teammates to take these passes and create offense with. Throughout looking at Sandin-Pellikka’s offensive game the common theme for all his successes is his hockey IQ. For his age, Axel Sandin-Pellikka has a great hockey mind and knows how to make space and time for his teammates and knows where to position himself in order to create offense. His tools paired with his mind make a dangerous offensive defenseman who can quarterback a powerplay. Although, I find Sandin-Pellikka can sometimes struggle with 5 v 5 offense with his powerplay numbers carrying the majority of his production.
Skating
For me, the biggest factor for success in the NHL is skating and luckily for Axel, its one of his biggest strengths. Sandin-Pellikka combines electric top speed, quick acceleration and solid edge work to elevate his game to the next level. Axel uses his impressive skating to manoeuvre out of high danger situations in his own zone, carry the puck through the neutral zone and dart into the offensive zone. When pairing his effortless skating with his puck handling ability we see a confident defencemen who loves to attack opponents and its clear to see why when you look at how successful he is at it.
One thing that amazes me with Sandin-Pellikka’s skating is how much effort he can put into his movement without looking rushed or stressed. Every movement he makes looks effortless, clean and planned without looking predictable. This is helped his ability to adapt on the fly in order to deceive opponents which makes his transition game so strong.
Overall, Sandin-Pellikka’s skating is some of the best among defencemen in this draft class with a really well-rounded mix of edge-work, speed, acceleration and agility which he uses extremely well in all aspects of his game. I feel his skating is NHL ready with smooth, effortless strides and his active approach to movement.
Size
It might be harsh to call Axel Sandin-Pellikka a small defenceman but standing at 5’11 (180cm) and weighing in at 82kg (181lbs) its no exaggeration that he comes in at slightly below average for an NHL defencemen. However, Sandin-Pellikka does not let this affect his play style with the Swedish defenceman not afraid to play the body or go into the dirty areas.
Sandin-Pellikka can take hits quite well and has good balance to keep on his feet which helps when going deep into the offensive corners. Axel likes to defend the rush by throwing a hit which can be a high risk play but Sandin-Pellikka uses his great skating game to close the gap really quickly, catching the forward off guard with his quick steps and agility.
However, I would like to see a more tenacious and physical game from Sandin-Pellikka when defending his own zone as I find when he does engage opponents physically he can be quite successful but we don’t see this enough for my liking.
Defensive play
Despite Axel Sandin-Pellikka’s extremely good offensive game we still see a defender capable of making solid defensive plays. I have already spoken on Sandin-Pellikka’s use of his size to disrupt opponents which he uses on the boards quite successfully however I find when he engages opponents in net front battles he struggles to displace or disrupt forwards. I think Axel could benefit greatly from a better tie up game given he isn’t the biggest defender you will he simply cannot move players with his brute strength therefore removing the forwards stick and taking out his movement would elevate his game further.
When defending the rush, Sandin-Pellikka has some pros and cons. When Sandin-Pellikka is the player who is defending the puck carrier we see an active defender who can use quick steps to stay with attackers and engages confidently with good stick work and perfectly timed body contact. However, if Sandin-Pellikka is the defender who is tracking the non puck-carrying forward I find his gap control and scanning can be quite poor with his opponent often becoming open.
Despite, Sandin-Pellikka’s outstanding skating I find he doesn’t use this enough when going into the corners or closing down the shooter. Sometimes he is just too passive and static in his own zone which gives players time to take the shot, make the play or retrieve the loose puck.
Overall, I do like Axel Sandin-Pellikka’s general defensive game. He reads plays well, uses his body effectively and can use his stick to disrupt plays which is what you want from a defenseman. The critiques of Sandin-Pellikka’s defensive game I pick out is me simply nit picking his game, but he has a good base of skills and knowledge with plenty of room for improvement.
Conclusion
Axel Sandin-Pellikka is a flashy offensive defenceman with electric and effortless skating. Sandin-Pellikka loves to carry the puck in all zones and uses his feet to avoid pressure wherever he is on the ice which creates jaw-dropping transitional plays. When Axel is in the offensive zone he has a great toolset to create offense, whether he is the shooter or the passer Sandin-Pellikka can do it all. When you pair his hands which keeps the puck on a string even at speed you a have frighteningly dangerous offensive defencemen. In terms of his defensive play Sandin-Pellikka has some issues with tenacity and sometimes getting lost defensively but his overall defensive game is good enough but any team looking to draft Axel Sandin-Pellikka will be looking at his offensive play not his defensive attributes.
Rankings
Axel Sandin-Pellikka has been named as one of the best defenceman in this draft class and his provisional rankings have shown this. RecruitScouting currently has Sandin-Pellikka ranked at number 11 in this draft with the consensus being a top 15 slot for Axel. However I can easily see a top 10 slot for Sandin-Pellikka if the right team are picking in this range. A dynamic, right handed, offensive defensive are at a premium in this market and ASP would be a great value pick for any team who don’t need a full rebuild. Personally, I like Sandin-Pellikka in this 11/12 range and I think he is tied with David Reinbacher for the top defenceman in this draft and can see them being taken within one or two picks of each other. (I wrote a report on Reinbacher back in November if you want to get the low down on another top defenceman in this draft! – 2023 NHL Draft Player Profile: David Reinbacher – Recruit Scouting)