​The post Red Wings Player Already Pondering Return to Sweden appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now. Axel Sandin Pellikka confirms that, yes, he does fantasize about returning to his homeland and skating again in Sweden one day. However, the Wings defenseman is quick to stress that this is a dream reserved for a distant future. He spoke with Swedish outlet Norran and laid out a timeline that makes the prospect feel more like wishful thinking than imminent reality. “Hopefully in 15 years, it will of course be tempting to come home, and Skellefteå AIK would be the best option,” Sandin-Pellikka said, signaling that his preferred destination, if and when the time comes, would be his old SHL club.
From afar, he watched Skellefteå AIK celebrate its second league title in three seasons, a triumph that included Sandin-Pellikka as part of the 2024 championship squad. Watching some of his former teammates lift the trophy this spring stirred a sense of envy, he admitted. “I was sitting in a hotel room during the AHL playoffs in Grand Rapids and watched,” he recounted. He described the moment as one filled with big smiles and plenty of congratulatory messages that he sent along to those who had managed to reach the pinnacle again. “You’ve got a little ‘fomo’ (fear of missing out). But it was fun to watch too. It’s so fun to win, and I’ve been on a winning team before. I know how hard it is. It’s a very fun ride when you can go all the way.”
Throughout the opening stretch of his North American pro career, the 21-year-old has bounced between the NHL and the AHL. He spent the first 68 games of his rookie season with the Detroit Red Wings before being reassigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins late in the year as Detroit added veteran defenseman Justin Faulk at the trade deadline. On the ice, Sandin-Pellikka showed an early penchant for offense, posting seven goals and 21 points. Yet the same spell also highlighted defensive shortcomings, with him frequently looking physically overmatched at the NHL level and ending up with a team-worst minus-20 rating after his demotion to the Griffins.
Rather than letting the setback derail him, Sandin-Pellikka took the demotion in stride, describing it as a necessary part of his development. “Just developing as a player,” he said. “It never hurts to get more games over here and just work on defense, work on offense. Play to the best of my abilities and just get better as a hockey player.”
Detroit’s offseason moves further shape the team’s defensive landscape. With the addition of Jacob Bryson from the Buffalo Sabres and the reality that William Wallinder would need to clear NHL waivers to return to the minors, the Red Wings are likely to enter training camp carrying nine NHL-ready defensemen. That setup keeps open the possibility that Sandin-Pellikka, who does not need to clear waivers to report to the Griffins, could begin the 2026-27 campaign back in Grand Rapids. If that path unfolds, he’s already crafted a straightforward plan for his play.
“Just play with intensity,” Sandin-Pellikka said. “Yeah. Offense, defense, everywhere. Really just go out there, play my game, get better, get more experience.”
As for his homeland, the idea of playing in Sweden again remains appealing, but it’s a prospect that can wait. Someday, perhaps, but certainly not in the immediate future. For now, the focus is on continuing to develop within the Red Wings organization, contributing wherever he’s needed, and embracing the long arc of his hockey journey. The notion of returning to Sweden will stay on the back burner, a tantalizing long-term goal rather than the next step.