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 plays in all situations, and after Sweden lost to USA last night 3-1 Andrae is the 9th leading scorer of the tournament with five points (3g,2a).
Andrae really put forth one heck of a game against USA at the WJC. He finished the game with one goal and an assist, was a -1, and logged the third most ice time of any player with 22:39. 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 the way he didn’t shy away from physical contact along the boards especially given his size. Andrae quickly brushes off the player, and is able to cycle the puck out of the zone. He’s a smart hockey player and he showcases that along the boards.
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Andrae made quick decisive decisions to get the puck out of his own zone, and he was very good with breakouts. He is also good with leading the rush up the ice. The orange and black have struggled for the past few years with their Defensemen and breakouts, also with transitioning from defense to offense.
Flyers Prospects schedule today at the WJC:
Switzerland vs. Austria 2pm EST (Zanetti)
Canada vs. Finland 6pm EST (Foerster, Desnoyers)
Sweden vs. Germany 10pm EST (Andrae)
