Red Wings rookie Axel Sandin-Pellikka has been seen as part of the future of the team's blueline ever since he was drafted 17th overall in the 2023 draft. The 20-year-old rookie experienced his share of struggles this season, which is normal for a player who has barely played on North American ice surfaces before. However, as of late, Sandin-Pellikka may have finally found his footing.
Thursday with the game-winner in a 5-2 win over Vancouver he became the fifth Red Wings rookie defenseman since 2000 to record at least five goals in a season.
Since Dec. 1, Sandin-Pellikka is seventh in rookie point scoring with three goals, eight assists, good for 11 points. This number also puts him as the points leader for all rookie defenseman since this date.
Sandin-Pellikka has benefited from less ice time
One thing that has changed for Sandin-Pellikka since the start of December is his amount of ice time. Before then, Sandin-Pellikka played a major role on the team, one that may have been too big for a 20-year-old rookie. In the first 25 games of the season, he averaged a little under 20 minutes per game. Now in the 19 games since, Sandin-Pellikka has averaged a little less than 16 minutes per game. With top-tier defensive play from Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson, the heavy load could be lifted off of a young player like Sandin-Pellikka. Fewer minutes have led to more success for him.
In the first 25 games, Sandin-Pellikka had two goals and four assists, for a total of six points. In six fewer games, Sandin-Pellikka has almost doubled his point totals while playing three fewer minutes per game. Another major stat difference for the rookie is his shooting percentage. In the first 25 games of the season, Sandin-Pellikka had a 7.1 shooting percentage. In the last 19 games of the season, where he has taken a big jump, his shooting percentage has been 16.7%.
The young rookie still has a long way to go before he finds a level that can be close to Moritz Seider or even Simon Edvinsson. It may even take another three to four seasons before Red Wings fans get to see him in full form. The plus/minus category still remains a point of concern. Even in this great stretch, he still had a -4 plus/minus, and he now sits at -16 on the season.
In a perfect scenario, Sandin-Pellikka will become a great offensive defenseman who can play slightly above-average defense. It may take a while for him to reach that point, but over the last 20 games for the Red Wings, fans are finally starting to get a glimpse at what Axel Sandin-Pellikka will look like in his final form.