The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan posted a profile of Red Wings prospect Axel Sandin Pellikka today, discussing last March’s demotion to the AHL as a learning experience for the promising defenseman:
At 21 years old, it has to remembered Sandin-Pellikka is far from a finished product. There’s plenty to learn, especially being a young defenseman. He’s still learning the fact that good defense can lead to more offensive time.
“Very good defense builds good offense,” Sandin-Pellikka said. “If we’re good at defending, we’re going to have (offensive) zone time. There’s an old coach I had in Skelleftea (Sweden) who said offense wins games, but defense wins championships. That’s a good way to say it.”
Being a smaller defenseman (6-foot, 186 pounds) also can make things difficult, particularly around the net on the defensive end. But during last season, Wings coach Todd McLellan occasionally would single out former defenseman Dan Boyle, a longtime star who McLellan coached in San Jose.
McLellan sees similarities, especially physically, between the two offensive-minded defensemen.
“Ax isn’t the biggest guy but he’s not tiny,” McLellan said. “He’s not the biggest defender. Boyle is a real prime example for me. I spent all those years in San Jose. (Boyle was) competitive, he knew how to use what God gave him to the best of his ability. He knew what battle he could win or lose physically, and he was involved in all of them, and if he could win a physical battle, he would go win it.
“If his analysis or his judgment was ‘I’m probably on short end of this stick,’ then his mind and his legs took over and positioned him well. He outsmarted people. Sometimes when you’re not the biggest or strongest, you have to have your legs and head get you out of trouble. Axe is still learning that.”
Continued (paywall)
