Detroit 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

+$4.032M

vs. $4.973M market estimate

Contract details from our records; public announcement not yet matched

2026-27 regular season

Goals

0.0% shooting

Assists

0 primary

Points

0.00 per game

TOI/GP

16:02

PP 2:03 · PK 1:58

Plus/minus

Hits

Blocks 1

PIM

Game Score

+0.30

per game

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

Game	SOG	HIT	BLK	TOI	PP	PK	FO	OZS%	GV	+/-	GS
Oct 4 vs WPG · L 3-2	3	0	0	15:37	2:20	1:44	—	75	1	+1	+0.50
Oct 2 vs NYR · L 2-0	2	1	1	16:27	1:46	2:11	—	100	0	0	+0.09
Apr 15 @ FLA · L 8-1	0	1	1	15:06	2:33	0:00	—	0	1	0	+0.04
Apr 13 @ TBL · OTL 4-3	0	0	1	17:52	2:29	0:11	—	67	2	+1	+0.16
Apr 7 vs CBJ · OTL 4-3	3	0	0	9:34	0:00	0:00	—	100	1	-1	-0.02

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

xGF%45.2%

19th percentile

Relative xGF%-4.4

16th percentile

HDCF%41.9%

16th percentile

CF%50.2%

60th percentile

Relative CF%+1.1

70th percentile

FF%49.6%

55th percentile

GF%40.7%

14th percentile

CF/6059.6

72nd percentile

CA/6059.1

40th percentile

ixG/600.23

60th percentile

Goals above expected+3.4

91st percentile

IPP42.4%

77th percentile

PDO96.4

9th percentile

OZS%50.6%

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.

Rush attackerPerimeter shooterTransition-first

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.

Career stats

From the NHL's player records

NHL regular season NHL playoffs All leagues

Season	League	Team	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2016-17	WSI U12	Sweden Selects U12	5	1	0	1	—	6
2017-18	WSI U13	Sweden Selects U13	7	1	1	2	—	—
2018-19 (playoffs)	U16 Div.1	Kiruna IF U16	3	0	0	0	—	2
2019-20	U16 Elit	Skellefteå AIK U16	20	1	8	9	—	16
2019-20	J18 Elit	Skellefteå AIK J18	6	0	0	0	—	4
2019-20	U16 SM	Skellefteå AIK U16	3	0	1	1	—	4
2019-20 (playoffs)	U16 Elit	Skellefteå AIK U16	6	1	0	1	—	4
2020-21	J18 Region	Skellefteå AIK J18	4	0	1	1	—	0
2020-21	TV-Pucken	Västerbotten	3	2	1	3	—	0
2020-21	U16 Region	Skellefteå AIK U16	1	2	0	2	—	2
2021-22	J18 Region	Skellefteå AIK J18	16	7	6	13	—	4
2021-22	J20 Nationell	Skellefteå AIK J20	14	1	2	3	+3	6
2021-22	J18 Nationell	Skellefteå AIK J18	14	2	6	8	+4	8
2022-23	Hlinka Gretzky Cup	Sweden U18	5	0	2	2	—	6
2022-23	J20 Nationell	Skellefteå AIK J20	31	16	20	36	+15	64
2022-23	SHL	Skellefteå AIK	22	2	3	5	+2	0
2022-23	Champions HL	Skellefteå AIK	7	0	0	0	+1	2
2022-23	WJC-20	Sweden U20	7	0	1	1	-4	6
2022-23	WJC-18	Sweden U18	7	2	9	11	+8	0
2022-23 (playoffs)	J20 Nationell	Skellefteå AIK J20	2	0	1	1	0	0
2022-23 (playoffs)	J18 Nationell	Skellefteå AIK J18	5	2	1	3	-1	2
2023-24	SHL	Skellefteå AIK	39	10	8	18	-9	17
2023-24	Champions HL	Skellefteå AIK	10	3	2	5	+4	6
2023-24	WJC-20	Sweden U20	7	2	4	6	-2	4
2023-24 (playoffs)	SHL	Skellefteå AIK	14	2	5	7	+1	2
2024-25	SHL	Skellefteå AIK	46	12	17	29	0	22
2024-25	Champions HL	Skellefteå AIK	4	0	1	1	-3	4
2024-25	WJC-20	Sweden U20	7	4	6	10	+8	6
2024-25	EHT	Sweden	2	0	0	0	-2	0
2024-25	AHL	Grand Rapids Griffins	2	0	1	1	-2	2
2024-25 (playoffs)	SHL	Skellefteå AIK	11	1	7	8	-2	2
2024-25 (playoffs)	AHL	Grand Rapids Griffins	3	0	0	0	-1	0
2025-26	NHL	Detroit Red Wings	68	7	14	21	-20	18
2025-26	AHL	Grand Rapids Griffins	6	2	1	3	0	0
2025-26 (playoffs)	AHL	Grand Rapids Griffins	8	1	3	4	+1	2
2026-27	NHL	Detroit Red Wings	2	0	0	0	+1	2

Every league he has played in, from the NHL's records, regular season and playoffs.

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

+0.1

+0.1NSH3/2

+0.6

+0.6VGK3/4

+0.2

+0.2FLA3/6

-0.0NYR4/4

+1.8

+1.8MIN4/5

-0.0CBJ4/7

+0.2

+0.2TBL4/13

+0.0

+0.0FLA4/15

+0.1

+0.1NYR10/2

+0.5

+0.5WPG10/4

Average +0.34 per game over these 10.

Where his Game Score comes from

+0.25 per game

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.

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%

Usage

Last game: vs WPG, Oct 4

Pair 2 with Ben Chiarot (8:26 together at 5-on-5) · PP2

From the NHL's shift chart.

Age curve

At 21: 97% of peak

NHL defensemen · production index

202937

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).