Aftonbladet’s Hans Abrahamsson engaged in an interview with Red Wings prospect and Three Crowns defenseman Axel Sandin Pellikka regarding his imminent status as captaining the Swedish national team at the World Junior Championship in Ottawa. Here’s a rough translation thereof:
Sandin Pellikka: “Just going to Ottawa to win gold”
The World Junior Championship is teeming with potential NHL stars.
But the one who can shine brightest is a Swede:
“It’s awesome to be high up here, but I’m not going to Ottawa for personal awards,” Axel Sandin Pellikka said.
In a long interview with Sportbladet, the Skelleftea defenseman talks about his star status, the honor of being captain, the Tre Kronor’s hunger for revenge and the secret injury after the final against the United States, when he smashed his hand.
Ranking the World Junior Championship’s 25 biggest stars is no easy task, but it’s always star-studded at the top. Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini, for example, have topped the list in the past two years.
For the first time since Rasmus Dahlin’s time (2018), it’s a Swede who tops Sportbladet’s list.
Now as then it’s a defenseman with a cool offensive toolbox: Axel Sandin Pellika.
The hockey artist from Malmberg, who, during this past autumn has continued to impress everything and everyone with his game in the SHL, places himself before such hyped names as intended American draft talent James Haggens and Canadian forward Gavin McKenna.
“Of course it’s cool to be high on that kind of list, but at the same time, it’s not something that I’m trying to put a lot of focus on. I just want to go there and play hockey. It’s such a fun tournament and it’s easy to be influenced by the media. So I’m just going there to play hockey and hang out with the guys. It will be magical,” he says.
Sandin Pellikka is not only the biggest star on the Swedish team, but he was also coach Magnus Havelid’s obvious choice for captain.
“It’s a huge honor, of course. At the same time, I can’t become another human being because of a ‘C’ on my chest. I want to continue to be myself. That I keep leading by example and pulling the team together so that we can become a tight group.”
“Just there to win gold”
Did coach Havelid have any dialogue with you about the role of the captain?
“We just talked about it a little bit. He asked if I was ready and I wanted to, then he gave me some time to think. He asked again a day before he was going to name the team, and I assumed as much.”
Already last year, Sandin Pellikka was the tournament’s best defenseman, and there is absolutely nothing this winter that says he hasn’t taken another step:
“It will be hard to beat. But as I said, I’m not going there to chase any personal prizes, instead, I’m going there to win gold with the team.”
The Tre Kronor haven’t won gold since Calgary in 2012, but that it’s the only gold that applies is barely even a matter for the Detroit Red Wings-drafted defenseman:
“That’s how it is, 100%. We’re not going there to do anything but win the gold. That’s the talk on our group,” says the team captain without the slightest tremble in his voice.
Last year was so close. It was a cruel final loss to the United States in a sold-out Scandinavium.
What do you remember from the final?
“That it was a great setting. It was an extremely cool game to play. The only thing that sucked is that we didn’t manage to win.”
How long was that final loss?
“It swayed us, but I had to let it go pretty fast when I came back to everyday life with Skelleftea. But of course it still stings a bit. We’re revenge-hungry.
Broke the hand in pure anger
There was no game with Skelleftea directly after the World Junior Championship concluded. Instead, the defenseman was forced to rest for almost a month due to a hand injury.
The feelings after the heavy final loss were greatly upturned and the disappointment was enormously felt among the Swedish players, especially Sandin Pellikka.
The character himself has chosen not to comment on how the damage occurred, but a year later, he now breaks the silence:
“It’s been so long, so why not? I was pissed off. It was a blow to the wrong wall, and I broke my finger.”
“It ruined the team at home in Skelleftea a bit. I was going to come back that way and I had a bad conscience about it.”
Isn’t that anger and frustration also a sign that you want to do a lot? Is there anyone who couldn’t be angry or disappointed about it?
“Well, yeah, but you don’t have to break a finger because of it.”
Were there any sour memories with Skelleftea?
“No.”
It’s noticeable that the final loss–and the injury as a consequence of the loss in the final–is still hard to talk about. That’s because Sandin Pellikka looks forward to the tournament even more, because it’s his last at the junior level.
Is the dream to get the chance to earn revenge against the United States in a new final?
“Yeah, but it doesn’t matter. As long as we’re winning that gold. That’s what we’re going for.”
Finally, do you have any greetings to the Swedish people before the tournament?
“We’re going to give them some damn good Christmas entertainment!”
