DraftCentre

Craig's List: After impressive U18 showing, Sandin Pellikka vaults into Top 5

Published May 15, 2023 at 10:14 AM ET

For TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button, Sweden’s Axel Sandin Pellikka is the best blueliner available in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Rising from No. 10 to No. 5 on Button’s latest list, Sandin Pellikka is fresh off winning best defenceman honours at the U18s in Switzerland after putting up 11 points in seven games to help Sweden earn silver. He was also named a top-3 player on Sweden and made the tournament All-Star team.

“He’s the best defenceman in the draft,” said Button. “And he’s just continuously showed me that. I watch the poise, the ability to control the game in every single zone, and seemingly do it with a calm and an ease that is eerily reminiscent of [Hockey Hall of Famer] Sergei Zubov.

“He’s not going to overwhelm you with his blazing skill or any blazing quality, but his brain is advanced, massively.”

The Gallivare, Sweden native played 22 games in the Swedish Hockey League this season with Skelleftea AIK where he had five points. In J20, he scored 16 goals with 36 points in 31 games.

He also skated for Sweden at the 2023 World Juniors, leading the Swedish defence in average ice time (19:54) as a 17-year-old.

Another defenceman making a rise up the rankings is Sandin Pellikka’s countryman Tom Willander, who jumps up from No. 16 to No. 8.

Willander had four goals and 25 points in 39 games with Rogle BK J20 this season. In seven games at the U18s, he scored three goals (tops among defencemen) and had eight points.

“He’s a different type of player [than Sandin Pellikka]. He’s more robust from a physical point of view,” said Button. “But he has the same qualities of initiative, competitiveness, and is good with the puck.

“He’s confident with the puck, he’s quick. When you watch a player that can carry a game, he’s an everywhere-on-the-ice player – defensive zone, offensive zone, in transition, penalty killing, power play, against the best players. “

Joining Willander in jumping into Button’s top 10 is Slovak centre Dalibor Dvorsky, who rises from No. 19 to No. 9.

Dvorsky didn’t put up big numbers playing in Sweden’s Allsvenskan with AIK, finishing the season with six goals and 14 points in 38 games. But the Zvolen, Slovakia native was far more productive playing against his peers. In 10 games playing in J20, he had 10 goals and 21 points.

Dvorsky also took his game up a notch at the U18s, scoring eight goals and 13 points in seven games and was named to the tournament All-Star team as Slovakia finished fourth.

While Button initially compared Dvorsky to Calgary Flames centre Mikael Backlund, he has since found a new comparable.

“He’s such a good two-way player,” said Button of Dvorsky. “Backlund has always been that really good defensive centre that chips in the 45 points but I think that Dvorsky might be more along the lines of Bo Horvat, more offence there.”

While this trio all made noticeable jumps, the biggest rise on this edition of Button’s list belongs to Swedish defenceman Theo Lindstein, who goes from No. 80 to No. 27.

Lindstein bounced between playing in the SHL and J20 this season with Brynas. In 32 SHL games, he had one goal and one assist. Button says Lindstein didn’t get a chance to develop enough while going up and down between leagues all season long.

“He reminds me of Devon Toews of the Colorado Avalanche,” Button said. “Great skater. He’s not going to be a big-time offensive player but he’s going to be a big part of the offence because of his skating, because of his play with the puck.”

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Kelowna Rockets forward Andrew Cristall drops from No. 9 on Button’s March list to outside the first round at No. 35.

While Cristall had a strong season offensively for Kelowna (39 goals and 95 points in 54 games) and had solid production at the U18s with six points in seven games, Button said there’s one area of Cristall’s game that needs improvement.

“The brain is there, the hands are there, he’s really, really good in that regard,” said Button. “I’ve wrestled with him because I like him, but he’s not big and he’s not quick. The quickness and the speed is going to have to be developed.”

Button also has two goaltenders in the first round of his list with Canada’s Carson Bjarnason moving up from No. 38 to No. 23 and Czechia’s Michael Hrabal leaping from No. 58 to No. 26.

Bjarnason went 21-19-5 with a .900 save percentage and 3.08 goals-against average in 47 games with the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings. At the U18s, he posted a .849 save percentage and 3.51 GAA in six games as Canada won bronze.

“When I watch Carson Bjarnason, I look back and all I see is [Dallas Stars’] Jake Oettinger,” said Button. “I see exactly the same thing, the intelligence, and the economy of movement. He has just a sense of that command in the net. And not a size thing, [more] like ‘I got this, I’m under control.’

“I think he is a clear-cut No. 1.”

Hrabal had a 9-13-4 record in 31 games with the USHL’s Omaha Lancers with a .908 save percentage and 2.86 GAA. In five games at the U18s for the Czechs, he had a .920 save percentage and 3.11 GAA, where he was named a top-3 player on the team. Button compares him to current Calgary Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom.

“[He’s got the] same exact physical stature, same kind of coordinated but still uncoordinated, putting it all together,” said Button. “But he’s got the quickness, he’s got the game in him. He’s going to need a little bit of time to refine some of that technical part of his game with his size but to me he’s got everything Jacob Markstrom had.”

Check out Craig Button's Top 100 player ranking below - a projection of each draft prospect's NHL potential in three-to-five years.

Craig's List - May 15

RK	Player	Team	POS	HT	WT	GP	G	P
1	Connor Bedard	Regina (WHL)	C	5'9 ¾	183	57	71	143
2	Adam Fantilli	Michigan (NCAA)	C	6'2	195	36	30	65
3	Leo Carlsson	Örebro (SHL)	C	6'3	198	44	10	25
4	Matvei Michkov	St. Petersburg (KHL)	RW	5'10	172	30	9	20
5	Axel Sandin-Pellikka	Skelleftea (SWE J20)	D	5'10 ¾	176	31	16	36
6	Will Smith	USA NTDP (USHL)	C	5'11 ¾	178	60	51	127
7	Eduard Sale	Brno (CZE)	LW	6'2	174	43	7	14
8	Tom Willander	Rogle (SWE J20)	D	6'1 ¼	180	39	4	25
9	Dalibor Dvorsky	AIK (SWE-Als)	C	6'1	201	38	6	14
10	Colby Barlow	Owen Sound (OHL)	LW	6'0 ¼	193	59	46	79
11	Matthew Wood	Connecticut (NCAA)	RW	6'3 ½	193	35	11	34
12	Ryan Leonard	USA NTDP (USHL)	RW	5'11 ½	190	57	51	94
13	Calum Ritchie	Oshawa (OHL)	C/RW	6'1 ¾	187	59	24	59
14	Zach Benson	Winnipeg (WHL)	LW	5'9	160	60	36	98
15	Gabe Perreault	USA NTDP (USHL)	LW	5'10 ¾	165	63	53	132
16	Oliver Moore	USA NTDP (USHL)	C	5'11	188	61	31	75
17	Ethan Gauthier	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	C	5'11 ¼	176	66	30	69
18	Brayden Yager	Moose Jaw (WHL)	C	5'10 ½	162	67	28	78
19	Nate Danielson	Brandon (WHL)	C	6'1 ¼	185	68	33	78
20	Otto Stenberg	Frölunda (SWE J20)	LW	5'11 ¼	180	29	11	26
21	Samuel Honzek	Vancouver (WHL)	LW	6'3 ½	186	43	23	56
22	David Edstrom	Frölunda (SWE J20)	C	6'2 ¾	185	28	15	28
23	Carson Bjarnason	Brandon (WHL)	G	6'3	186	47	3.08	.900
24	David Reinbacher	Kloten (SUI)	D	6'2	185	46	3	22
25	Kasper Halttunen	HIFK (SM Liiga)	RW	6'2 ¾	207	18	18	24
26	Michael Hrabal	Omaha (USHL)	G	6'6 ¼	209	29	3.00	.907
27	Theo Lindstein	Brynäs (SWE J20)	D	6'0 ½	180	32	1	2
28	Danny Nelson	USA NTDP (USHL)	LW	6'3	202	62	21	47
29	Anton Wahlberg	Malmo (SWE J20)	C/LW	6'3 ¼	194	32	14	27
30	Daniil But	Yaroslavl (MHL)	LW	6'5	203	26	15	26
31	Quentin Musty	Sudbury (OHL)	C/LW	6'1 ¾	200	53	26	78
32	Koehn Ziemmer	Prince George (WHL)	RW	6'0 ¼	204	68	41	89

33	Trey Augustine	USA NTDP (USHL)	G	6'1	183	33	2.13	.926
34	Gavin Brindley	Michigan (NCAA)	C/RW	5'7 ½	158	40	12	38
35	Andrew Cristall	Kelowna (WHL)	LW/RW	5'9 ½	167	54	39	95
36	Aydar Suniev	Penticton (BCHL)	LW	6'1 ½	198	50	45	90
37	Mikhail Gulyayev	Omsk (MHL)	D	5'11	172	22	2	25
38	Roman Kantserov	Magnitogorsk (MHL)	RW	5'9	176	45	27	54
39	Gracyn Sawchyn	Seattle (WHL)	C	5'11	157	58	18	58
40	Oscar Fisker Molgaard	HV71 (SWE J20)	C	6'0	163	21	6	23
41	Lenni Hameenaho	Pori (SM Liiga)	RW	5'11 ½	173	51	9	21
42	Juraj Pecarcik	Nitra (SVK)	LW	6'0 ¾	183	16	9	20
43	Oliver Bonk	London (OHL)	D	6'2	174	67	10	40
44	Easton Cowan	London (OHL)	RW	5'10 ½	170	68	20	53
45	Bradley Nadeau	Penticton (BCHL)	RW/LW	5'10	161	54	45	113
46	Maxim Strbak	Sioux Falls (USHL)	D	6'1 ½	205	42	5	19
47	Mathieu Cataford	Halifax (QMJHL)	C/RW	5'10 ¾	188	68	31	75
48	Jakub Dvorak	Liberec (CZE)	D	6'5	202	24	0	2
49	Dmitri Simashev	Yaroslavl (MHL)	D	6'4	200	29	1	10
50	Denver Barkey	London (OHL)	C/LW	5'8 ½	155	61	22	59
51	Riley Heidt	Prince George (WHL)	C	5'10 ½	182	68	25	97
52	Jason Shaugabay	Warroad High (USHS)	RW	5'9 ¼	153	31	33	96
53	Felix Unger Sorum	Leksand (SWE J20)	RW	5'11 ¼	170	42	10	46
54	Will Whitelaw	Youngstown (USHL)	C/RW	5'9	173	62	36	61
55	Etienne Morin	Moncton (QMJHL)	D	5'11 ¾	181	67	21	72
56	Lukas Dragicevic	Tri-City (WHL)	D	6'1	192	68	15	75
57	Caden Price	Kelowna (WHL)	D	6'0 ¼	186	65	5	40
58	Tanner Moldendyk	Saskatoon (WHL)	D	5'10 ¾	184	67	9	37
59	Andrew Gibson	S.S. Marie (OHL)	D	6'2 ¾	196	45	7	21
60	Jesse Kiiskanen	Pelicans (SM Liiga Jr)	RW	5'10 ¾	178	31	20	43
61	Hunter Brzustewicz	Kitchener (OHL)	D	5'11 ¼	188	68	6	57
62	Emil Jarventie	Ilves (SM Liiga)	LW	5'9 ½	167	21	8	19
63	Coulson Pitre	Flint (OHL)	RW	6'0 ½	172	59	25	60
64	Ethan Miedema	Windsor (OHL)	LW	6'3 ¾	206	68	20	52

65	Nick Lardis	Hamilton (OHL)	LW	5'10 ½	165	69	37	65
66	Alex Ciernik	Sodertalje (SWE J20)	RW	5'9¾	163	18	9	21
67	Carson Rehkopf	Kitchener (OHL)	LW	6'1 ¼	195	68	30	59
68	Noah Dower-Nilsson	Frölunda (SWE J20)	LW	6'0	174	37	26	54
69	Rasmus Kumpulainen	Pelicans (SM Liiga Jr)	C	6'2	191	41	11	34
70	Charlie Stramel	Wisconsin (NCAA)	C/RW	6'3	212	33	5	12
71	Albert Wikman	Farjestad (SWE J20)	D	6'0 ½	191	43	2	12
72	Scott Ratzlaff	Seattle (WHL)	G	6'0 ½	175	34	2.15	.918
73	Axel Landen	HV71 (SWE J20)	D	6'1 ¼	185	44	10	16
74	Andrew Strathman	Tri-City (USHL)	D	5'10	190	48	3	36
75	Kalan Lind	Red Deer (WHL)	LW	6'0 ¼	158	43	16	44
76	Drew Fortescue	USA NTDP (USHL)	D	6'1	176	62	1	26
77	Aram Minnetian	USA NTDP (USHL)	D	5'11	192	62	7	31
78	Carey Terrance	Erie (OHL)	C	6'0 ¼	175	67	30	47
79	Adam Gajan	Chippewa (NAHL)	G	6'2 ½	167	30	2.51	.920
80	Jaden Lipinski	Vancouver (WHL)	C	6'3 ½	204	66	19	51
81	Nico Myatovic	Seattle (WHL)	LW	6'2 ¼	182	68	30	60
82	Carson Musser	USA NTDP (USHL)	G	6'4	215	28	3.07	.890
83	Luca Pinelli	Ottawa (OHL)	C	5'8 ½	165	67	29	63
84	Quinton Burns	Kingston (OHL)	D	6'1 ¼	180	54	2	29
85	Samuel Urban	Sioux City (USHL)	G	6'0 ¾	196	4	2.80	.918
86	Jayden Perron	Chicago (USHL)	RW	5'9	163	54	21	63
87	Cam Squires	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	RW	5'11 ½	165	67	30	64
88	Brad Gardiner	Ottawa (OHL)	C	6'0 ½	178	68	19	39
89	Paul Fischer	USA NTDP (USHL)	D	6'1	190	56	4	21
90	Zachary Schulz	USA NTDP (USHL)	D	6'1	195	52	1	10
91	Luke Mittelstadt	Minnesota (NCAA)	D	5'11	185	38	5	21
92	Rodwin Dionicio	Windsor (OHL)	D	6'1 ½	207	50	15	50
93	Michael Hagens	Chicago (USHL)	D	5'11	170	60	9	26
94	Beau Akey	Barrie (OHL)	D	5'11 ½	170	66	11	47
95	Luca Cagnoni	Portland (WHL)	D	5'9	180	67	17	64
96	Cameron Allen	Guelph (OHL)	D	6'0	194	62	5	25
97	Noel Nordh	Brynäs (SWE J20)	LW	6'1 ½	196	38	13	27
98	Tyler Peddle	Drummondville (QMJHL)	LW	6'0 ½	195	64	24	41
99	Connor Levis	Kamloops (WHL)	C	6'1 ½	189	68	27	67
100	Tristan Bertucci	Flint (OHL)	D	6'1 ½	172	63	11	50