MLive’s Ansar Khan discusses the Red Wings’ decision to allow Axel Sandin Pellikka to develop at home in Sweden this upcoming season.
There’s a certain percentage of the fan base that’s pretty miffed that ASP will be spending another season with Skelleftea AIK, but the 19-year-old defenseman told Khan that he’s looking forward to spending one final season in the SHL…
“It’s nice to be home another year,” Sandin Pellikka said last month at Red Wings development camp. “I know the coaches well. I know my teammates well. We have a good team. We’re going to go for the gold next year (at the World Juniors) So, stay home and develop for another year.”
And Red Wings assistant director of player development Daniel Cleary explained why the team believes that Sandin Pellikka will benefit from playing with Skelleftea this upcoming season instead of attempting to break into the Grand Rapids Griffins’ stacked defense:
“Axel is probably one of Sweden’s most important players on defense,” Danny Cleary, Red Wings assistant director of player development, said. “It’s hard for a defenseman to play (in Grand Rapids). He’s going to play quite a bit in Skelleftea, they’re going to have a good team, he’s going to run the power play. He’s going to play quite a bit with the puck.
“Axel is a very smart player. He moves well. We just don’t see the harm in it (staying in Sweden). No sense rushing him. We got a pretty good D in Grand Rapids. Got a couple D graduating, but we have some good players still down there. Not to say Axe couldn’t come over and play in Grand Rapids, no problem, but Skelleftea is a real good development place, it’s a good league, it’s a good city, well run. Axe will be back in Ottawa at the World Juniors again (this year). He’s a really talented player.”
Continued (paywall); Sandin Pellikka will be developing under the watchful eyes of director of player development Niklas Kronwall, Vice-President of hockey operations Nicklas Lidstrom, and even Henrik Zetterberg, who works with the Red Wings from time to time in an informal capacity.
ASP really will run Skelleftea’s power play, he’s going to be playing for another season against men, and he’ll work on filling out that 5’11,” 185-pound frame. At this point, the pluses of spending one more season in Sweden out-weigh the pluses of ASP playing in North America. Sometimes the best road to the NHL isn’t a direct one.
The fact that ASP can develop alongside Michael Brandsegg-Nygard is just the cherry on top of the cake.
