With the Philadelphia Flyers having some nice young prospects in the pipeline, some of them could see their first action in the NHL this season. For most, it will probably be limited, but it is important nonetheless to see if some of the younger players are ready to advance their game to the next level.
Cutter Gauthier
The Flyers’ 2022 fifth-overall draft selection in Cutter Gauthier committed to the Boston College Eagles for his 2023-24 season, but that doesn’t mean he can’t play in Philadelphia when his collegiate season is finished.
Last season, Gauthier led Boston College in goals (16), tied for the lead in assists (21), and finished with the highest point total (37). He did this at the ages of 18 and 19, which shows his readiness to compete at a higher level. When he finishes his 2023-24 season in the NCAA, we can expect his game to have improved enough to deserve a stint with the Flyers late in the season.
He will probably only play a handful of games with the Flyers if he comes over, but it could be enough to see him score his first NHL goal of what fans are hoping will be many with the team. With him more than likely appearing with the team for an extended period in the 2024-25 campaign, we might get an early glimpse of what Gauthier can accomplish at the professional level.
Emil Andrae
Emil Andrae has the most potential of players who have never played in the NHL to have a significant role with the Flyers this season. The 21-year-old defender has impressed for years at the professional level, and his next stop would be in the NHL if he is given the opportunity.
Andrae is a 5-foot-9 offensive defenseman who has great physicality in his game despite his stature. In the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) last season, he tied for first in points among defensemen his age or younger with 26 in total. What we know of him already is that he can be a great power play quarterback and a surprising force on the back end.
Related: Flyers’ Emil Andrae is Ready for the NHL
Andrae is a rare example of a prospect who could slot into the NHL right away. He has maturity in his game as well as professional experience. If he stays in North America, which seems to be the case, he will probably start out with the Flyers’ American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate Lehigh Valley Phantoms, and potentially make his way up to the NHL. He is arguably the team’s most exciting prospect who could see significant time in the NHL, so he will be a player to look out for as the season progresses.
Helge Grans
Acquired in the three-way trade that saw the Flyers lose Ivan Provorov, Helge Grans is a rather raw defensive prospect who could use a bounce-back season. With the Flyers being rather weak in terms of their right-handed defensive depth, it wouldn’t be totally absurd to see him play a couple of games in the NHL this season.
Grans will probably spend most if not all of his time with the Phantoms to see where he ranks. Overall, it seems a bit unlikely that he will get extended time with the Flyers. However, injuries are a part of the game. If they get bad enough, he could get the phone call that all aspiring NHL athletes dream about.
Grans should have what it takes to succeed in his own end with some development, but definitely lacked offensively last season, scoring just nine points in 59 AHL games in the Los Angeles Kings’ system. It’s not entirely unheard of to see some raw talent be given a shot to play in the NHL. He could be the next player to be given this chance for the Flyers.
Ivan Fedotov
While his situation is very uncertain at the moment, the possibility for Ivan Fedotov to come over to North America is still in play. If he does, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him play for the Flyers.
It’s undetermined whether he will even be in North America in the coming months, let alone play for the team. If he comes over, he will probably start out with the Phantoms to see what he can bring, given he has not played a season of organized hockey since 2021-22. If the Flyers suffer some injuries, Fedotov might be one of the goaltenders they give a chance. His time would likely be limited, but as a 26-year-old, he has the experience to transition to the NHL. With several years in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) under his belt, he might be an interesting prospect.
At the start of a rebuild and expectations being rather low for the Flyers’ 2023-24 campaign, it can be hard to find things to get excited about. Seeing prospects develop and actually play in the NHL can certainly provide that. Every year, we see some new young faces make their debut. We could see some of these players do that this season.