PuckSleuth
44Detroit Red Wings · Defense · Shoots R
Axel Sandin-Pellikka
Age 21 · 6'0" · 189 lb · Born in Gallivare, SWE
Cap hit
$941K
0.9% of $104M cap
Term
2 yrs
Through 2027-28, then RFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
+$4.12M
vs. $5.061M market estimate
Contract details from our records; public announcement not yet matched
2026-27 regular season
GP
1
Goals
0
0.0% shooting
Assists
0
0 primary
Points
0
0.00 per game
TOI/GP
16:27
PP 1:46 · PK 2:11
xGF%
62.6
5v5, +17.4 vs. last yr
Game Score
+0.09
per game
Faceoff %
—
Plus/minus
0
Blocks 1 · Hits 1
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2 vs NYR · L 2-0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 16:27 | 1:46 | 2:11 | — | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.09 |
| Apr 15 @ FLA · L 8-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 15:06 | 2:33 | 0:00 | — | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +0.04 |
| Apr 13 @ TBL · OTL 4-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17:52 | 2:29 | 0:11 | — | 67 | 2 | 0 | +1 | +0.16 |
| Apr 7 vs CBJ · OTL 4-3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9:34 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 100 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -0.02 |
| Apr 5 vs MIN · L 5-4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 15:04 | 0:26 | 0:00 | — | 50 | 1 | 0 | +1 | +1.75 |
GS = our Game Score (credit for everything he did; goals and assists count most). FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.
Advanced metrics
5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 925 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen
19th percentile
16th percentile
16th percentile
60th percentile
70th percentile
55th percentile
14th percentile
72nd percentile
40th percentile
60th percentile
91st percentile
77th percentile
9th percentile
67th percentile
xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.
Play styleOffensive rush specialist
Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26
Sandin-Pellikka is a young defenseman who generates offense through elite rush chances and decent playmaking, but struggles significantly in physical play and defensive positioning. His game is built on transition speed and shot volume from distance rather than shutdown responsibilities.
- Shooting volume
- 71
- Playmaking
- 61
- Zone entries(est.)
- 77
- Forechecking
- 7
- Physicality
- 4
- Defensive impact
- 13
- Puck management
- 20
- Speed
- 43
Where he shoots from
Slot 2% · Mid-range 22% · Perimeter 75%(122 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Elite at generating rush chances in transition, ranking 77th percentile among defensemen
- Solid shot volume from distance with 71st percentile shooting attempts
- Playmaking touch in the top 61st percentile to spark offense
Watch-outs
- Weak in physicality at just 4th percentile, avoiding contact regularly
- Minimal forechecking impact at 7th percentile limits defensive support
- Below-average puck management (20th percentile) can hurt possession flow
Similar style: Henri Jokiharju, Zayne Parekh (CGY)
Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.
Where his Game Score comes from
2025-26 · 68 GP
Season total +17.0, or +0.25 per game.
- Scoring
- +15.4
- Shooting
- +5.1
- 5-on-5 goals
- -2.3
- Defense
- -0.8
- Penalty kill
- +0.1
- Physical play
- +3.0
- Puck battles
- -2.6
- Penalties
- -0.9
Game Score gives credit for everything a player does in a game. Goals (1.0) and assists (0.7 primary, 0.5 secondary) count most; shots, blocks, hits, takeaways, penalties drawn, faceoff wins, killing penalties, and holding down the other team's chances add to it. Only mistakes subtract: goals against at 5-on-5, giveaways, penalties taken, faceoff losses, and allowing more chances than an average player would. A player who is there to defend or kill penalties is not marked down for not scoring. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
Career stats
From the NHL's player records
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | GWG | SOG | S% | TOI | FO% | GS/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Detroit Red Wings | 68 | 7 | 14 | 21 | -20 | 18 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 68 | 10.3 | 16:13 | — | +0.25 |
| 2026-27 | Detroit Red Wings | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.0 | 16:27 | — | +0.09 |
| Career | 2 seasons | 69 | 7 | 14 | 21 | -20 | 20 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 70 | 10.0 | 16:13 | — |
Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team. GS/GP is our Game Score per game.
Usage
Last game: vs NYR, Oct 2
Pair 3 with Ben Chiarot (9:34 together at 5-on-5) · PP2
From the NHL's shift chart.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- Defensive play will determine Axel Sandin-Pellikka’s future
octopusthrower.com · Sep 23
Sentiment & chatter
Fans
—
Beat writers
—
Media
—
Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.
Recent Game Scores
Last 10 games · goals above average
Average +0.26 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 21.5 mph
- 43rd pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 28
- Hardest shot
- 98.0 mph
- 89th pct
- Distance
- 162.2 mi
- OZ time
- 43.3%
- 73rd pct
- DZ time
- 39.5%
Age curve
NHL defensemen · production index
At 21, defensemen typically produce 97% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 22, when the typical level is 98%.
From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.
Contract by season
2 seasons left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | DET | $941K | 0.9% |
| 2027-28 | DET | $941K | 0.8% |
RFA after 2027-28. $1.882M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).