RD Axel Sandin Pellikka - Skellefteå, SHL (2023, 17th, DET)

[Petes2424]

Depends on what you consider "Elite offensively". If you're looking for a Quinn Hughes or an Erik Karlsson, Seider and Edvinsson ain't it. But if Seider's shot continues to develop, he could very well end up a 10G - 15G, 50-60A guy as Detroit improves. Don't think Edvinsson's ceiling is quite known at this point.



I was pretty insistent there was no way Detroit was taking ASP. Granted, that was mostly arguing over #9. My whole argument was he doesn't fit what Detroit, or more specifically Yzerman, was looking for in a defensemen. After all, I think it was something like the Top 3 rounds he hadn't taken a sub 6 foot defensemen since Tony Deangelo.

... But in hindsight it makes perfect sense. Got a bunch of two-way giants on our blue line. Gotta change it up with the elite potential small PMD.

100%. He’s not what Yzerman usually drafts, but it does make a lot of sense with all the big boys they have coming.

 

[Dr Jablonski PhD]

I agree he could def be one of the biggest steals of the draft. Hard to get bigger than Michkov at 7th OA, but ASP looks like a very effective pro offensive Dman in the SHL already at 18yo. When's the last time an 18yo Dman has looked this good in the SHL? For real b/c I'm not sure

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

I agree he could def be one of the biggest steals of the draft. Hard to get bigger than Michkov at 7th OA, but ASP looks like a very effective pro offensive Dman in the SHL already at 18yo. When's the last time an 18yo Dman has looked this good in the SHL? For real b/c I'm not sure

Honestly, I have a hard time even calling Michkov a steal. Everybody knows his talent and teams were just scared off by outside factors.

Now, what blows my mind is how one team passed on him, presumably due to the Russian Factor, only to turn around and draft two Russians in the Top 15.

 

[svartgul]

I agree he could def be one of the biggest steals of the draft. Hard to get bigger than Michkov at 7th OA, but ASP looks like a very effective pro offensive Dman in the SHL already at 18yo. When's the last time an 18yo Dman has looked this good in the SHL? For real b/c I'm not sure

Victor Hedman, Rasmus Dahlin, Adam Larsson. (Players like Rolle Stoltz and Lill-Strimma Svedberg would be included if we had stats back in the '50s.)

 

[raymond23]

He scored again

 

[Wayward Son]

If ASP isn't an NHL defenseman I'll kill myself on live television

 

[Dr Jablonski PhD]

Honestly, I have a hard time even calling Michkov a steal. Everybody knows his talent and teams were just scared off by outside factors.

Now, what blows my mind is how one team passed on him, presumably due to the Russian Factor, only to turn around and draft two Russians in the Top 15.

He's a talent that should only be possible to select at the latest #2 OA. Most drafts he's the #1 OA on talent alone

PHI got mega astronomically lucky to get him at 7. He's having the best D+1 KHL season in history, even if you adjust for higher scoring rates

Victor Hedman, Rasmus Dahlin, Adam Larsson. (Players like Rolle Stoltz and Lill-Strimma Svedberg would be included if we had stats back in the '50s.)

It would seem ASP is entering into some really lofty territory

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

This kid is ridiculously talented

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

He's a talent that should only be possible to select at the latest #2 OA. Most drafts he's the #1 OA on talent alone

PHI got mega astronomically lucky to get him at 7. He's having the best D+1 KHL season in history, even if you adjust for higher scoring rates




It would seem ASP is entering into some really lofty territory

I was more saying I have a hard time calling him a steal because he was had at 7 for reasons other than talent.

I certainly didn't mean to discount the talent he is.

 

[Rolo Tomassi]

Victor Hedman, Rasmus Dahlin, Adam Larsson. (Players like Rolle Stoltz and Lill-Strimma Svedberg would be included if we had stats back in the '50s.)

Yes, exactly.

 

[raymond23]

Another game, another goal

 

[Christien]

How good is this kid? Damn

 

[ZDH]

Kid is lighting it up. So much fun to watch, gonna be a stud.

 

[schuelma24]

 

[Indrid Cold]

A-S-P

 

[MiddleEarth]

Me randomly curious! How does he compare to Hronek? I know it's hard to compare an established player to a guy who just got drafted. But, do they have any similarities? Could this kid reach Hronek level of success?

 

[JediOrderPizza]

Me randomly curious! How does he compare to Hronek? I know it's hard to compare an established player to a guy who just got drafted. But, do they have any similarities? Could this kid reach Hronek level of success?

Hronek? Hronek?! We are talking Karlsson.

 

[MiddleEarth]

Hronek? Hronek?! We are talking Karlsson.

Mmmmm Daaaamn, the way I feel now...ya'll are real lucky this is PG-13 site. Real lucky.

 

[GoBoltz56]

1 assist in 11 games. Kid needs to pass the puck.

 

[Preposterone]

A-S-P

Vipera is such a beautiful genus. Makes me wish I was crazy enough to keep hots

 

[Indrid Cold]

Vipera is such a beautiful genus. Makes me wish I was crazy enough to keep hots

If the Detroit Vipers were still around, and he did a stint there, it would be the stuff of legend.

 

[BluesyShoes]

1 assist in 11 games. Kid needs to pass the puck.

Small sample size, but that will be notable if it continues. Are there any comparable defenseman that consistently have more goals than assists?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

It's crazy that there's absolutely no other outcomes in between those tiers of players.

You have a point, but it’s also true that small defensemen either gotta get very lucky with their team having a specific need at that point for a player like them or they gotta be that PP1 type of player.

Small defensemen with good not great offense struggle to hold spots in an NHL lineup all the time. I don’t like it, but this is how the NHL works.

 

[schuelma24]

 

[Hazy Little Thing]

Played over 20 mins tonight too. Up to 8 goals and 2 assists in 18 games this year.