Photo Credit: Our very own Michael Reaves
One last cut, one last cut which is the toughest cut to make. Flyer Training Camp started out with 45+ players, and now it sits at 24. Tyson Foerster has made the team outright it appears, so this last cut will be between Emil Andrae and Bobby Brink, as Felix Sandström was not waived yesterday, which paved the way for him to make the opening night roster. NHL rosters have to be submitted to the league by 5:00 p.m. today, so if the Flyers choose to waive Sandström today, then he wouldn’t clear waivers until Tuesday, which means he would be part of the Flyers opening night lineup. The Tampa Bay Lightning are lurking for a Goaltender, so maybe Danny Briere can work his magic before 5:00 p.m. today. That might be highly unlikely, so the last cut will be between Brink and Andrae, both of whom are waiver exempt.
Bobby Brink
Brink was a second round selection in 2019. He played for Team USA in the 2020 and 2021 World Junior Championships. Brink won a gold medal with teammate Cam York in 2021.
“I’m honored to join a classy, historic, organization. Flyers fans are so passionate, how can a person not be excited. It was a day I will remember for the rest of my life. My friends and family were very happy.” – Bobby Brink told Jamey Baskow in February of 2022
He made his NHL Debut with the Flyers on April 12, 2022 against the Washington Capitals. Unfortunately, he suffered a significant injury that kept him out of half the season in 2022-23. Brink started off on a hot streak, but things started to settle down after the seventh or eighth game. He had a problem with consistency last season, and that was to be expected given the nature of his serious injury that he was coming back from. When healthy, Brink is a dynamic forward that can put the puck in the net, or set up a nice play for the eventual goal. He arguably has top 6 talent at the NHL level, Brink just needs to be consistent.
Consistency, consistency. Brink is having a great preseason for the orange and black, even so much so, he is being given an extra look because of his success. As mentioned above from assistant head coach Rocky Thompson, the Flyers top brass is giving him every position to win a spot on opening night, but they are placing him in tough situations, much like the ones he will face if he did make the team outright.
The difference of Brink’s game in the pre-season as opposed to last season is finishing, and his skating has improved. He is getting to the dirty areas to pot goals or make plays, and he is creating plays off turnovers that he forces from the opposition. Brink has been that good to force his opponents to make mistake after mistake.
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“He was good on the power play, which we have kind of known that,” Thompson said following the game last week. “I thought he was good consistently. He played well. He was backchecking hard, and those were things we were looking for.”
On paper, there is a key positional battle with Brink aged 22 and Tyson Foerster aged 21. However, what if the team kept both young prospects? It’s quite possible that both can make the opening night lineup, but at least one of the two definitely will. This 5’8, 169 pound forward in Brink is really making a strong case in completing in his ultimate goal before camp began with making the Flyers opening night lineup.
Emil Andrae
Tortorella really praised Andrae following the last game of the pre-season, “I thought he made a bunch of mistakes, but right after mistake he makes a good play,” Tortorella said of Andrae. “I don’t think he’s afraid of anything, I don’t think he’s afraid to make a mistake. I like a lot of things about him.”
Andrae’s a smart hockey player and he showcases that along the boards. Andrae makes quick decisive decisions to get the puck out of his own zone, and he is 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. In addition, his ability to win puck races is something that separates him from the current of defensemen for the orange and black. It appears he rarely loses a puck battle.
“I’d be stupid if I don’t have the goal of playing in the NHL,” Andrae said. “I’m going to do as best as I can in training camp, and try to prove to the coaches that I’m too good to play in the AHL.”
One thing is certain, Andrae will stay in North America this season. He will either play for the Phantoms or Flyers this coming season, or may be even both. If he does not win a spot on opening night, I can almost guarantee that he will play for the Flyers at some point this season. Flyers fans can use all the positive news they can get, so they will take this and run with it happily.
Is everyone missing the fact that there are CAP advantages to putting Ryan Ellis on the opening night roster and then move him to IR (not LTIR). A paper move of Errson, allows them to carry 3 goalies. Then either Andrea or Brink get sent down. Or send them both back and no need for the Errson move. Hart is currently sick, which is why I’m guessing Sandstrom wasn’t waived. You want Brink and Errson to play, not watch.
Brink deserves to make the team out of camp and preseason. I would send Errson down today and hope that Tampa Bay picks up another goalie and then tomorrow, bring Errson back and this way Andrea and Brink both make the opening night roster.