There are few defensemen who understand the rigor of the NHL quite like former Detroit Red Wings star Niklas Kronwall. He may not have been the biggest or the tallest defender in the league, but his booming hits were so powerful that the term "Kronwalled" is still used to this day.
Kronwall, who now works for the Red Wings as a development coach, sat down with Hockeysverige to talk about the development of the young Swedes on the roster -- specifically Albert Johansson, Simon Edvinsson and Axel Sandin-Pellikka.
Kronwall's thoughts on Albert Johansson
Like fellow Swedish defenseman Nick Lidstrom, Kronwall cannot stop singing the praises of Albert Johansson. "I think he's still just growing, growing and growing," Kronwall began. "It's incredibly fun to see him here during the IIHF World Championships and how he handles his role. I don't think we've seen the peak of what he can do. He's only at the beginning and there's still so much more for him to learn."
Last season, Johansson anchored the Red Wings' third defensive pairing, posting 11 points in 82 games while compiling an average ice time of 15:56 per game. If both Lidstrom and Kronwall trust him this much, it wouldn't be a shock to see him start eating into more ice time as the 2026-27 season progresses.
How Kronwall views Simon Edvinsson
Kronwall's next topic, Simon Edvinsson, has quickly become one of the top players on the Red Wings over the last few seasons. The Swedish development coach agrees: "He has worked on his skills over the years and then simply earned his role," Kronwall began. "In the end, it is based on performance every day. I think he has done very well and is also just growing and getting even better. We haven't seen the peak there yet either, I can say. "
Edvinsson was a breakout star for Detroit this year, going from a top-four role to a lock on the top pairing. While, to be fair, he's playing alongside Moritz Seider, it's hard to downplay Edvinsson's accomplishments. He and Seider made up one of the most analytically sound pairings in the league, forming a top shutdown line at just 23 years of age.
Kronwall put it best: "It will be fun to see how far he can go."
Kronwall believes in Axel Sandin-Pellikka
While rookie defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka didn't finish the season in Detroit, Kronwall still believes he had a great season. "There are still parts in the game where he will be able to take further steps, but much of that comes with experience as well," reads the rough translation. "I think this year has been a great year for him in terms of development. He has been able to handle the adaptation to the game on the small rink quite quickly."
When asked what parts of his game Sandin-Pellikka needs to work on, Kronwall offered a general answer. "It's probably a little everywhere. The on-the-puck game comes very naturally to Axel. Off the puck, it's a little faster, people have a little more drive to get on target."
Kronwall suggests that, should Sandin-Pellikka work on his off-puck game, he'll become a fantastic addition to the Red Wings' defensive corps.
Another Swede earns extra praise
Prospect Anton Johansson recently made the leap over to the NHL. "[Johansson] has done well (on North American ice)...there are also clear upsides. I think above all that his playing style will fit well in North America."
Johansson joined the Grand Rapids Griffins late in the season, helping to push them to the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs. He'll be a fixture for the Griffins next season with a chance to make the leap either midway through the season or later on.
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