Photo Credit: Rebecca McCormick
A young 20-year-old Flyers prospect Emil Andrae is the Captain of Team Sweden for a reason. Andrae is a 200 foot player, that is as fast as they come, plus he has a blistering shot. He can play in any situation the coaching staff asks of him, and that was evident yesterday in a 6-0 Team Sweden route over Austria.
Andrae really put forth one heck of a game against Austria at the WJC. He finished the game with two goals and an assist, was a plus two, and logged 17:13 of ice time. That’s what Andrae does, he logs minutes. Andrae would be coveted by most nations as he eats minutes, regardless of his size.
He only stands at 5’9 and only weighs 176 pounds, but he is still a talented left-handed shot defenseman. His hockey IQ has vastly improved from the prior year with HV71. Andrae found his niche and became a versatile player that has impeccable gap control, and he showcased that for Sweden yesterday.
What was most impressive about Andrae yesterday was his intelligence. He’s a smart hockey player and he showcases that along the boards. Andrae made quick decisive decisions to get the puck out of his own zone, and he was very good with breakouts. He is good with leading the rush up the ice, and this should make the Flyers top brass happy. The orange and black have struggled for the past few years with their Defensemen and breakouts.
Flyers Prospects schedule today at the WJC:
Canada vs. Czechia 6pm EST (Foerster, Desnoyers)
Germany vs. Switzerland 10pm EST (Zanetti)
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