The Detroit Red Wings are off to a decent if unspectacular start to the 2025-26 season, losing to the Montreal Canadiens on home ice before defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs in back-to-back games to improve to 2-1.

One player who has endeared himself to his new head coach is rookie defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka. The 20-year-old has been thrown right into the fire in his first NHL campaign, currently sitting third on the Red Wings with an average ice time of 21:02.

Although he remains without a point, Todd McLellan has liked what he's seen from the former No. 17 overall selection in the 2023 NHL Draft.

“He's a heady player,” he said recently, per NHL.com's Adam Kimelman. “What does that mean? He's got good eyes, good vision, anticipation skills. I've used the term chess and checker

See Full Page