Detroit Red Wings select defenseman Axel Sandin Pellikka No. 17 overall in 2023 NHL Draft

You can never have too many right-shot defensemen and the Detroit Red Wings just nabbed themselves another as a potential franchise-building bock. On Wednesday at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, the organization took Swedish blueliner Axel Sandin Pellikka with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Sandin Pellikka, 18, is an offensive defenseman known for his immense hockey intelligence. He doesn’t bring an imposing frame at 5-foot-11 and 182 pounds, but his IQ and ability to play in all situations make him fit the ideal of a modern two-way defenseman, helping his team to drive play and maintain puck control.

Sandin Pellikka lit up the IIHF Under-18 World Championship for 11 points in nine games with the silver medal-winning Team Sweden this spring en route to being named the tournament’s top defenseman. Playing for Skelleftea, he tore up the junior (under-20) Swedish circuit for 36 points (including 16 goals) in 31 games in 2022-23, when he was named the league’s top defenseman. He also played 22 games against men for Skelleftea in Sweden’s top pro league, the SHL. He has run circles around his own contemporaries this season, but was perceived by scouts to have played more tentatively against mature adults. Given his relatively slight frame, it’s conceivable that he will need an least another year of seasoning overseas before he makes the jump to North America.

Still, Sandin Pellikka’s poise and versatility give him undeniable upside as a potential top-four blueliner at the NHL level, playing a position that is pretty much always at a premium. In a draft field skewing heavier toward top-end forward talent, he has as much potential as anyone to emerge as the best defenseman in the class of 2023.

STEVEN ELLIS’ SCOUTING REPORT

“Some scouts had ASP as the best defensive prospect, others the second or third. One thing is certain: he had the most consistent season among the top names. He was a feral beast at the U-20 level, but was a bit more reserved in his time in the SHL. There are more than enough translatable skills here, especially when it comes to skating, hockey IQ and playmaking. The biggest issue? His defensive game, which, as a defenseman, raises eyebrows.”