The Hockey News’s Michael Whitaker spoke with Red Wings rookie Axel Sandin Pellikka about #44 making his NHL debut:
“A lot of excitement, for me and my family,” he said of his reaction when receiving the news that he’d made the final roster cut. “It’s a dream come true. As a kid you want to play in the NHL. Just getting a chance to do it tonight is going to be very cool and I’m looking forward to it.”
Just like fellow rookie teammates Brandsegg-Nygård and Finnie, Sandin-Pellikka will have multiple family members in attendance on Thursday.
“My family is coming in with my dad and mom, my brother and sister, and my granddad and uncle,” he explained. “I’ve got six people and it will be fun sharing it with them.”
The Red Wings have featured a wealth of Swedish-born talent throughout their history, most notably multi–Norris Trophy winner and former team captain Nicklas Lidstrom, who is widely considered the greatest defensemen in NHL history.
Sandin-Pellikka has leaned on the support from former Lidstrom teammate Niklas Kronwall, who is now a Development Coach with a focus on Swedish talent.
“He’s been helping me a lot and offered skills and video, just talking about his career and how that was,” Sandin-Pellikka said of Kronwall. “It’s been very helpful.”
