Red Wings Prospect Idolizes Penguins Star

There’s been no love lost over the years between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings. That it was the Penguins who vanquished Detroit in the club’s most recent Stanley Cup final appearance still gnaws at veteran Red Wings supporters.

Making matters worse, while the Wings were slipping to the depths of despair in the NHL standings, it was Red Wings arch enemy Sidney Crosby leading the Penguins to status as the league’s standardbearer, winning three Stanley Cup titles.

Axel Sandin-Pellikka has been on FIRE, that’s his fourth of the tourney 🔥 pic.twitter.com/GhTrzw90OE

— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) December 29, 2024

So it might be a bit of a difficult pill to swallow for the Hockeytown faithful to learn that one of their key pieces to building a better future is a big fan of a key member of the Penguins.

Axel Sandin Pellikka dreams of one day accomplishing in NHL rinks what Erik Karlsson has already achieved.

“My idol has to be Erik Karlsson,” Sandin-Pellikka told Czech website iSport Blesk of the former Norris Trophy winner. “It’s going to take a lot of work to get to his level, but he’s definitely a player I look up to.”

Red Wings Pick Seeking To Emulate Penguins Star

While Karlsson is at Little Caesars Arena on New Year’s Eve to face the Red Wings, Sandin Pellikka is captaining Sweden against Czechia in a battle of unbeaten squads at the IIHF World Junior Championship in Ottawa.

In his third world junior tourney, Sweden’s Sandin Pellikka has accounted for 14 points in 17 games. That includes tournament-leading 4-3-7 totals this year. So far this season with Skelleftea, the defenseman chosen 17th overall by Detroit in the 2023 NHL entry draft is topping all SHL rearguards with 8-14-22 totals from 25 games.

1, 2, 3 for ASP! 🎩

Axel Sandin-Pellikka nets a hat trick in his first game of the 2025 #WorldJuniors! pic.twitter.com/vGoETMFJeT

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 26, 2024

The Swedes lost last year’s world junior gold-medal game to the USA. “We are in Ottawa to finish the job we started,” Sandin Pellikka said.

He’s happily shouldering the responsibilty of leading his country in pursuit of hockey glory.

“I want to lead the boys mainly by example,” Sandin Pellikka said. “To be that cool teammate they can come to at any time when they need to discuss something.

“We have a great team at the event. You actually enjoy being able to turn off your alarm at six in the morning and run to your friends for breakfast.”