Sandin Pellikka Collects Salming Award
2023 Red Wings first-round pick Axel Sandin Pellikka earns an award from Sweden's hockey writers association as the top Sweden-born defenseman in the SHL or SDHL
© Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports - Sandin Pellikka Collects Salming AwardIt's been a busy year for Axel Sandin Pellikka.
In June, Detroit selected Sandin Pellikka with the 17th overall pick, after he'd had to drive from New York to Nashville to get there for the occasion due to a flight cancellation, before moving on to the Red Wings' development camp. By mid-July, he was back in Michigan for the World Junior Summer Showcase, where he revealed to The Hockey News he'd suffered a mild injury to his finger thanks to a fishing lure.
As the calendar turned from December to January, he led Sweden to a silver medal at the World Juniors, playing hurt to get there but ultimately falling to Team USA (and fellow Red Wing draft choice Trey Augustine) in the gold medal game. In late February, Sandin Pellikka and Skellefteå fell to Swiss club Genève-Servette in the Champions Hockey League final.
Now, Sandin Pellikka—who can now claim 10 goals and eight assists in 39 games played in the SHL—has collected the 2024 Salming Trophy. The award is voted on by Sweden's hockey writers to the best Swedish-born defenseman in the SHL or SDHL (Sweden's senior women's league). Past winners include Mattias Ekholm and Nils Lundkvist.
And Sandin Pellikka and Skellefteå still have a chance to earn some hardware for their efforts this season. They are set to begin their SHL semi-final series tomorrow against Frolunda—the club that of course produced Lucas Raymond and Simon Edvinsson. In the other semi-final, Rogle (the club of Moritz Seider and the previous season's first round pick Marco Kasper) is taking on Vaxjo.