Photo Credit: Our very own Michael Reaves
A young 22-year-old Flyers prospect Emil Andrae was the Captain of Team Sweden for a reason at the WJC in 2022. 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 became evident when he made the Flyers roster on opening night. Andrae has shown flashes of being a very good defenseman in the future, and he proved that time and time again.
Andrae needs a bit more seasoning and growth, true, but he is proving that he is a viable option as a top four pairing defenseman. He’s only 22-years-old, look at all he has accomplished thus far in his short professional career. Andrae has been a healthy scratch for Egor Zamula the past few games, but there is no reason he should not return to the lineup Wednesday night.
A young 22-year-old in Andrae plays a bit physical, believe it or not even with his size. He logs minutes, and can be trusted in all facets of the game. After making the roster on opening night, he appear to be timid at times, or rushed to make a play at times. This is all evident that he is a young defenseman that will have some growing pains. However, this is to be expected from a young defenseman, and it shows growth in his game to make mistakes and bounce back from them. John Tortorella has said on multiple occasions that he makes mistakes, but he doesn’t get scared to make the right play shortly thereafter. There’s a lot of potential with Andrae.
He only stands at 5’9 and only weighs 176 pounds, but he is still a talented left-handed shot defenseman that is not afraid to get physical. Andrae suckered punched a Bruin on Tuesday night, showing that he is not afraid to get feisty. “Such a smart player, I’m really excited to see him with some NHL players,” Brent Flahr said of Andrae following the completion of Developmental Camp. “To me he’s pretty close. If it was my choice he would be here.”
“I just don’t think Emil has played well for a little while. He has struggled with the puck. Have to be careful we don’t hurt his development,” Flyers’ Head Coach John Tortorella said before the game on Thursday night. Defensively, the Flyers could have used Andrae against the Minnesota Wild, especially the third period, when plays started to break down.
As stated above, Andrae shall return to the lineup, and hopefully he will return with a great attitude. Andrae knows what it takes, and usually has a good attitude to succeed at the NHL level.
Check out our Flyers Nitty Gritty Store
