The Hockey News’s Sam Stockton did a superb job of breaking down the practices which Team Sweden, Team Finland and Team USA (White and Blue) held today at the World Junior Summer Showcase, offering detailed notes and videos describing said happenings, and he focused in on Axel Sandin Pellikka’s play as well:
2023 Red Wings first rounder Axel Sandin Pellikka takes plenty of reps along the point during Sweden’s power play work, showing once again the skills that made him such a coveted prospect in the lead up to June’s draft.
Two habits of his that jumped out at me this morning were the way he keeps his head up from the point and the way he always has the puck in a dual threat position. Put those two skills together (and throw in some remarkable balance and edgework), and it’s not hard to see why he’s been so effective in that position throughout his amateur career.
Sandin Pellikka also has a clear affinity for a dying art in the modern game: the old fashioned, non-one-timed slap shot. He has an excellent shot fake in his bag, and it’s no empty threat; the Swedish blue liner has no compunction about firing a clapper on goal. That tool further feeds the sense that he is just as comfortable beating you with his playmaking or his shooting from the point. He can wind and fire, he can wind and slap pass, or he can wind, hold and survey his options.
Continued; give Sam a read as he really knows his stuff.
