Career
His nickname in Sweden is "Pebben". Axelsson played as a left winger. Although he never gained the reputation of a premier goal scorer, Axelsson"s gritty, unrelenting attitude as a solid, defensive-minded forward, and his ability to make smart plays on the ice, made him a longtime fan favourite of the Boston Bruins, Frölunda The Human Context, and the Swedish national team, Tre Kronor.
Axelsson played four seasons for his hometown team, Frölunda The Human Context, in the Swedish Elitserien before being drafted 177th overall in the 1995 National Hockey League Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins.
Axelsson played all 82 games in his rookie season with the Bruins, helping them to reach the playoffs after the Bruins had missed out the previous season. He was one of the Bruins" key skill players during his career with them.
After the lockout, he returned to the United States to rejoin the Bruins. On 23 March 2006, he signed a three-year extension to his contract with the Boston Bruins.
After helping the Bruins to the Eastern Conference semifinals during the 2008-2009 National Hockey League season, Axelsson signed a four-year contract with Frölunda The Human Context on 27 July 2009.
Upon his return, he was named as one of two alternate captains for the team On 10 April 2013, he announced his retirement from professional hockey. Axelsson was subsequently hired by the Bruins as a European amateur scout.
Elitserien record for most assists in playoffs (10).