TPS secured an NHL-drafted prospect: "A lot of potential"

TPS has signed a one-year extension with Swedish defender Axel Landen.

Landen, 21, joined TPS last season. In his first Liiga season, he recorded 57 games with 2+6 points and had the team’s best plus/minus rating of +6. The tall (186 cm / 88 kg) Landen took on responsibility in TPS’s defense consistently throughout the season.

Before moving to Liiga, Landen played 39 SHL games with HV71. Additionally, he played 45 games in Allsvenskan with IK Oskarshamn, scoring 2+6 points.

Landen is a 5th-round draft pick of the San Jose Sharks from 2023. He played two games with the team’s AHL affiliate, the San Jose Barracuda, on a tryout contract at the end of the 2024-25 season.

– Axel had a good and balanced season last year at just 20 years old while playing his first season outside of Sweden. He earned significant responsibility, especially in important 5-on-5 situations and on the penalty kill, and was, among other things, TPS’s top player in the regular season plus/minus statistics (+6). We are very happy that Axel will continue in Turku next season, and we believe he will take the next step towards his goal of playing in North America, TPS’s player coordinator Tomi Kallio states in the club’s announcement.

TPS’s head coach Toni Söderholm is also pleased with Landen’s extension.

– Axel integrated into the team very well. He is a great person in every way, who enjoys competing and plays with a strong grip. He is a cheerful voice in the locker room and a well-liked guy in every way. He has excellent qualities to defend strongly, initiate plays, and reads the game very well in many situations. As a right-handed defenseman, he also brings options to the defensive end, which is a bonus for us. We are happy to have him back on the team, as we see a lot of potential in him and believe he will continue his strong development next season, Söderholm states.