Todd McLellan unsure what to say anymore about Detroit Red Wings rookies. Here’s why

admin-cdn19 October، 2025

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Todd McLellan unsure what to say anymore about Detroit Red Wings rookies. Here's why

Red Wings: Gibson’s goaltending, rookies stand out in latest win

Detroit Red Wings John Gibson, Axel Sandin Pellikka & Todd McLellan, Oct. 17, 2025 in Detroit.

Overtime was about to begin, and there was Axel Sandin Pellikka. A few feet away, there was Emmitt Finnie on the ice.

Since making the Detroit Red Wings out of training camp, Sandin Pellikka, Finnie and Michael Brandsegg-Nygård have done nothing but reinforce that they belong where they are: Playing in the NHL at 20 years old and earning more trust by the minute. The Wings are riding a four-game winning streak after their latest victory, a 2-1 overtime decision over the Tampa Bay Lightning at Little Caesars Arena on Friday, Oct. 17, and all three have had a hand in that.

Next up is a test against the Stanley Cup runner-up Edmonton Oilers at LCA on Sunday (3 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network Detroit).

“I don’t know what to say anymore,” coach Todd McLellan said. “We talk so much about these guys, and, you know, I’m working the forwards, (Trent Yawney) is working the back end, and Alex Tanguay’s in between. And we’re talking to each other, and we just feel like we can keep playing them.

“They’re not often at the scene of the crime for mistakes.”

Friday night, they were on the scene of a celebration, when Sandin Pellikka scored his first NHL goal past Andrei Vasilevskiy with a shot through traffic in the first period. It’s the kind of memory that never goes away.

“Unbelievable,” Sandin Pellikka said. “This part is also a little bit of a dream come true, you know, scoring a goal is another step. Very happy.

“It’s fun, you know, they let us play. We love it. It’s the best sport in the world. It’s our dream to be here. We want to get better and we get the feel that they trust us.”

The victory over the Lightning delivered much to celebrate, including a 32-save performance from John Gibson in his first game since being pulled in the season opener.

“I mean, that’s what I kind of pride myself on,” Gibson said. “When you have a bad one, you’ve got to follow it up with a good one. So I tried to do that.”

The penalty killing was outstanding, not allowing the Bolts a shot on goal through three opportunities. There was a little less to like in the third period, when the Wings’ poise sagged and Gibson had to deliver his best period since joining the Wings in the offseason. But in the end, Dylan Larkin put the game away in overtime, and Sandin Pellikka’s first NHL point had the added joy of contributing to a victory.

But even without a goal, Sandin Pellikka has been such a boon to have on the team because of the way he can handle the puck. Finnie has stuck on the top line through five games now, and Brandsegg-Nygård is a regular on the second power play unit, as is Sandin Pellikka.

“They’re hungry, and they’re effective right now, and we’ll keep playing them,” McLellan said.

Brandsegg-Nygård has yet to pick up his first point, but he’s engaged physically and has been a threat to score. Finnie has two assists.

“They don’t seem too flustered by any moment,” Larkin said. “They bring a great energy to our locker room. I love playing with Finns and Brands, he doesn’t look like a 20-year-old rookie. He plays with a lot of poise and he’s heavy and wins a lot of battles.

“I’m just trying to tell them that they’re going to break through at some point. When it comes, you get streaky in this league. Those guys will break through. They brought a great spark to our team. I can’t say enough good things about those three.”

Contact Helene St. James at [email protected].

Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her books: “The Franchise: Detroit Red Wings, A Curated History of Hockeytown,” and “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” and “The Big 50: The Men and Moments that made the Detroit Red Wings” are available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.