AXEL SANDIN PELLIKKA

2025-05-19

Scout: Tony

Skating:

axel is great skater has good acceleration, and very good on his edges

Passing/Handling:

Axel is a great passer and handler of the puck, he can get the puck to teammates but also can get off his own shot when it is called for.

Shooting:

Axel has a very good shot and knows when to use it. Not afraid to shot from blue line or in close to the net, mostly wrist and snap shots. Accurate as well

IQ (Vision, Anticipation, Panic/Poise):

Axel has a very high IQ, he can reads plays on the rush and get the puck to open teammate or to the net. Axel has been poised in all my viewings

Forechecking:

Axel does not forecheck much

Defense:

Axel is a really good defender, not a bone crusher but deft with the stick and position. Plays hard on the boards and will lay a hit on opposing players

Best Asset:

I think Axel's IQ is his best asset! He seems to read plays well and his the ability to get himself or the puck in the right spot (in the net or on a teammates stick)

Biggest Concern:

Axel's size, shot blocking and a strong belief in his abilities can be a risk and/or detriment to his play

Top Tier/Role Potential:

Tier 1

Justification for Top Tier Assessment:

Axel has all the tools, skating, passing, shooting handling and IQ to be a top 2 defenseman and number 1 PP quarterback. Plus he is not afraid to hit in right situation

50th Percentile Tier/Role:

Tier 3

Justification for 50th Percentile Tier Assessment:

If he gets beat up due to smaller stature and to many mistakes on risky plays could make him a 3rd pair defense with minimal power play

Stylistic Comparable:

I would say Quinn Hughes (Some may say Lane Hutson) he is less of a whirling dervish than Lane. He is under more under control.

Scouts Final Thoughts and Additional Stats/Info:

Axel should be up with the wings soon, I expect him to be playing by 2026 at the latest.

Games Scouted:

1Live AHL playoff game, 1AHL game video, 1 SHL game video

2024-12-20

Scout: Grant Campbell

Skating:

He is a deceptive skater, with a very sharp turning radius which allows him to separate while with or without the puck. He's not a burner by any means, but he can carry the puck with speed and make high quality plays. He probably needs some work on his turns to the outside while on defense, but other than that he is very strong on his skates and overall is a plus.

Passing/Handling:

Sandin-Pellikka is a player who you trust to pass to in difficult spots on the ice, whether that is right in front of his own net or as last man back. He is very versatile on the PP, in that he can QB as well as play the wall or the bumper. He is an excellent passer and can stickhandle like a forward. He has very good feet to kick the puck up to his stick or take passes with.

Shooting:

It took me a few games of watching him to discover his excellent one-timer. He is a 19-year old kid who plays with men in the SHL and he is the player setup for one-timers on the PP on the left side of the ice. He has a good, quick snapshot and can slap the puck when given the time and space. He has a knack for getting the puck through to the net from the blueline.

IQ (Vision, Anticipation, Panic/Poise):

He sees the ice very well both offensively and defensively. He sees gaps in the offensive zone that few defenders see. As per my previous comment, his panic/poise threshold is excellent and he is relied on heavily in his own end.

Forechecking:

He is not big (5-11, 185 lbs) but he is very strong on his skates and very strong with his stick. He rarely gets pushed off the puck.

Defense:

Probably the weakest part of his game, but still a strength. He can lose his gap control at times and is prone to being beaten on the outside, but he recovers well. He is strong in front of the net and very good in puck battles. He rarely hurts you.

Best Asset:

His ability to move the puck to an open teammate and get into open spots on the ice to receive passes. He's the type of player, who you look at each shift to do something a little special and he doesn't disappoint very often. He's a skilled right shot defender, which is highly sought after asset in the NHL.

Biggest Concern:

My biggest concern is that a coach takes away his freedom in the offensive zone, so that he rarely ventures below the blueline. His strength is his offense paired with slightly above average defense. If you take away his offense, he is just a slightly above average defender.

Top Tier/Role Potential:

Tier One as a top pairing QB on the first unit of the PP. I can see him at 50 plus points with 40-60 hits and 60-80 blocks per season.

Justification for Top Tier Assessment:

His versatility on the PP, should help him produce points at the NHL level and keep him there.

50th Percentile Tier/Role:

Tier three as a top four defender with time on the second unit of the PP.

Justification for 50th Percentile Tier Assessment:

His secondary stats like hits or blocks won't be there so he needs to produce 40 points plus to be at a higher tier.

Stylistic Comparable:

Adam Fox

Scouts Final Thoughts and Additional Stats/Info:

I think Sandin-Pellikka should fit in very well on the Detroit blueline with Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson for the next five to ten years. His timeline could be 2025-26 in the NHL with very little AHL time.

Games Scouted:

12/05/24 - vs MODO (SHL); 9/28/24 - vs Orebro (SHL); 11/19/24 vs Fischtown (SHL)

2024-07-25

Scout: Tony

Skating:

Excellent skating good edges quick change of direction

Passing/Handling:

Passing and handling are great! Getting the puck out or passing to a teammate in O zone Axel can do it all.

Shooting:

Shooting is not Axels strong suit Mostly wrist or snap shots But it can be effective.

IQ (Vision, Anticipation, Panic/Poise):

IQ, Vision, Anticipation, and Poise all far above average. No panic even fighting off a bigger player in front of net.

Forechecking:

Axel is usually in position so not a lot of fore checking

Defense:

positionally sound, no a body style defense but between skating, passing and IQ able to keep puck away from offensive players

Best Asset:

I would say skating and IQ are Axel's best assets

Biggest Concern:

Shooting and maybe size. Needs to work on getting his shot on his own and developing a harder shot

Top Tier/Role Potential:

Tier 1, Number 1 pair, Number 1 power play

Justification for Top Tier Assessment:

His IQ, skating allow him to move along blue to find open lane or pass to get puck in the net

50th Percentile Tier/Role:

Tier 3, spot power play duty, 7th d

Justification for 50th Percentile Tier Assessment:

Loses some of skating advantage as he goes up in competition or does not improve shooting

Stylistic Comparable:

I would say Quinn Hughes

Scouts Final Thoughts and Additional Stats/Info:

I really like Axel's game and hope everything works out so selfishly I can watch him for years to come at LCA.

Games Scouted:

1 SHL game, 1 International game