Axel Sandin Pellikka, a Detroit Red Wings prospect, appears to have broken more than just his heart at the recent IIHF World Junior Championship.
The Swedish website Sportbladet.se broke the news that Sandin Pellikka will miss a significant portion of the SHL season. According to the report, the Detroit first-round pick sustained a serious injury while representing Sweden at the World Junior Championships. While the story did not reveal the exact nature of the injury, Sandin Pellikka did have x-rays after the tournament to assess the extent of the damage. He is expected to be out of action for up to 1-2 months.
According to Skelleftea team doctor Karin Granberg, Sandin Pellikka has a serious upper-body injury.
“Axel has suffered an upper body injury and is in a plaster cast,” Granberg texted Norran. He declined to be more specific about the nature of the injury.
According to the report, Sandin Pellikka played through the injury at the WJC. He was recognized as the tournament’s best defenseman. Sweden won the silver medal after losing 6-2 to the United States in the gold medal game.
Sandin Pellikka scored six points (2-4-6) in seven games, including an overtime win against Switzerland in the quarterfinals.
A banner season for Sandin Pellikka.
This was just the latest honor bestowed upon Red Wings prospect Sandin Pellikka. In his first season since Detroit selected him 17th overall in the 2023 NHL entry draft, the 18-year-old leads all SHL defenders with nine goals.
Skelleftea faces Czech club Vitkovice in the Champions League semi-finals on Thursday, but will be without their teenage sensation.
Robert Ohlsson, the coach of Skelleftea, Sandin Pellikka’s SHL club, confirmed the injury to Sportbladet.
“It is true that he is injured, and our doctors need to look at him,” Ohlsson told Sportbladet. “What I know now is that he will not play for at least the next week. “It’s sad.”
Skelleftea goaltender Mattias Hallberg told Swedish website Expressen.se that his teammate’s injury was serious.
“What I can say is that he was examined with an x-ray here in Växjö yesterday and unfortunately it shows an injury which means that he is not available for games for the next few weeks,” Hallberg said in a statement.
“We on the fellow team are optimistic and believe that his rehabilitation will go well. We expect him to be fully recovered and ready to play again in a few weeks.”
