Red Wings Prospects Notebook: Buchelnikov Named to Russian National Team

There’s not many places for the Russian national team to play hockey, but the next time they do, there’s a very good chance that Detroit Red Wings prospect Dmitri Buchelnikov will be part of it.

Currently under IIHF ban from international tournaments following their country’s invasion of Ukraine, Russia is left to organize in-house tournaments to get the national team together. Such is the case with the upcoming Channel One Cup. It will be featuring the national teams of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, as well as a team made up of international players skating in Russia’s KHL. NHL coaching legend Mike Keenan will coach this latter team.

Expanded Russia 25 roster for Channel One Cup (translated) pic.twitter.com/0lGHEJHc1Q

— Hockey News Hub (@HockeyNewsHub) November 25, 2024

On Tuesday, Russia was revealing a preliminary roster for that event consisting of five goalies, 17 defensemen and 29 forwards. Among those 29 forwards is Red Wings draftee Buchelnikov (52nd overall, 2022 NHL entry draft).

Buchelnikov is currently in a tie for second in KHL scoring with 8-20-28 totals. A recent story in Russia’s Sport-Express was citing the Vityaz forward unit of Buchelnikov, Derek Barach and Ivan Chekhovich as the best line in the KHL. All three are among the league’s top-10 scorers.

“Buchelnikov is not fond of throwing the puck along the boards and playing a primitive game based on the ‘north-south’ principle,” writer Mikhail Skryl notes in his story. “The forward is close to combination hockey.

“Buchelnikov’s game is closely watched in Detroit. No one will be surprised if after the end of his contract with Vityaz, Buchelnikov rushes overseas.”

Another Tally For Red Wings Prospect

Another day, another game, and another tally for Axel Sandin Pellikka. The Swedish defenseman who was Detroit’s 17th overall selection in the 2023 NHL entry draft was scoring another goal for Skelleftea in their Tuesday SHL game.

Axel Sandin-Pellikka has a 🚨on the night and his season is one for the ages.

22games 7x🚨 12 x🍏is so sick it's inexplainable, absolutely bonkers.pic.twitter.com/OGBZ0FYtRU

— Lars Thorsell (@LarsThorsell) November 26, 2024

Sandin Pellikka was snapping home a point shot. With 7-12-19 totals in 22 games, he’s leading all SHL rearguards in scoring.

Detroit’s 2024 first-round pick Michael Brandsegg-Nygard didn’t get a point on the goal. However, it was his puck retrieval in the corner that was starting the play for Sandin Pellikka’s goal.

Unfortunately for Skelleftea, it was not a successful day. They reigning SHL champions were 3-1 losers to Lulea. Former Red Wings forward Mathias Brome would score the winner for Lulea and clinch the victory with an empty-net goal.

Elsewhere in the SHL on Tuesday, defenseman Anton Johansson (105th overall, 2022) scored as Leksands lost 3-2 to Modo.