The Philadelphia Flyers await their first training camp during the era of rookie general manager (GM) Danny Briere. Two more pieces of the rebuild came together this week with news about Emil Andrae and the reward of additional draft compensation. Meanwhile, Kevin Hayes expressed himself with the candor that made him a favorite around the dressing room in Philadelphia.
Hayes From The Heart
Hayes experienced an unthinkable tragedy when his brother Jimmy, who played seven NHL seasons for four teams from 2011-2018, passed away in 2021 from an accidental overdose at age 31. The disaster struck the Hayes family at the same time Kevin was dealing with a serious core injury. He played only 48 games in 2021-22, and he was at full strength for very few of them. The Massachusetts native opened up about the loss of his brother for The Players Tribune on Aug. 23. He wrote with powerful authority about an incredibly emotional topic.
“I say my brother, but he was more like my best friend. And if I’m being really honest (because I know he’s up there somewhere keeping me in check) Jimmy was more like my hero. He was three years older than me…I’ve never seen a kid who just wanted everybody else to be alright, all the time. You could be the biggest nerd in the world (me, for example) and Jimmy would go out of his way to talk to you and make you feel part of the group.”
-Kevin Hayes (The Players Tribune)
Words flow quickly when Kevin Hayes speaks. It was true when he meshed with the veterans immediately after arriving in Philadelphia in 2019-20. It was also true when he earned his first All-Star selection in February 2023. His first thought was to remember how Jimmy wanted it for him. Kevin brought Jimmy’s son Beau to the festivities in Sunrise, Florida.
Kevin Hayes never fully lived up to the tall order of the seven-year, $50 million contract he signed with the Flyers in 2019. His relationship with head coach John Tortorella soured during the 2022-23 season, and Briere ultimately dealt him to the St. Louis Blues for a sixth-round draft pick while retaining half of his remaining salary for the final three years of his contract.
However, fans now have another truthful representation of his human side to look at when they remember his time with the Flyers. His play on the ice might’ve been inconsistent, but the sincerity of his attitude in the face of a personal tragedy is very admirable.
Emil Andrae Poised for NHL
Andrae looks like he will play in North America for good beginning in 2023-24. Swedish professional teams have the option to retain players under the age of 24 drafted into the NHL in the second round or later if those players don’t make an NHL roster out of training camp. The Flyers took Andrae in the second round in 2020, so HV71 of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) would’ve had the right to bring back rather than let him make a push in the American Hockey League (AHL) if he didn’t make the big squad right away.
However, HV71 recently thanked him for his tenure on their team’s social media account. It looks like they will allow their player to pursue the professional opportunity that’s best for his future rather than use the right granted to them by the professional prospect rule.
The 21-year-old defenseman registered six goals and 20 assists in 51 games at the top level of the SHL last season. He traveled to North America for 13 regular-season and playoff games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms after his season in Sweden ended. Andrae started to make noise as a key prospect when he led Team Sweden to a bronze medal at the 2022 World Junior Championship.
“To be honest, he hasn’t changed much since he (was)18 years old. (He’s) such a smart player. I’m really excited to see him with NHL players. I just think he’s such a smart kid, so poised and competitive. I think he’ll make a pretty good impression in camp is my guess,” assistant GM Brent Flahr said in July about Andrae. “To me, he’s pretty close to challenge for a spot full-time. If it was all my choice, he’d be here…My guess is Torts is going to like this player, and we’ll see where it goes.”
Related: Flyers’ Emil Andrae is Ready for the NHL
Flahr shoulders a lot of responsibility in predraft and amateur scouting. His praise for Andrae will carry some weight entering training camp. However, the Flyers have Travis Sanheim, Rasmus Ristolainen, Sean Walker, Cam York, Marc Staal, and Nick Seeler as favorites to land the six spots on the blue line on opening night. Andrae will compete with Ronnie Attard, Egor Zamula, and Adam Ginning in the next group looking to break through.
Zamula would make the most sense as a seventh defenseman if the whole unit is healthy. He doesn’t need more seasoning in the AHL, and he’d have to clear waivers if the Flyers wanted to send him down. Andrae would have to kick down the door in camp and preseason to earn a roster spot. However, the state of a rebuilding organization should allow for young players to capitalize in these types of situations. The young Swede will get the chance to prove himself in 2023-24 whether it’s on opening night or not.
Loose Pucks: Bonk, O’Brien, Pracey
The Flyers signed Oliver Bonk to a three-year, entry-level contract just two months after selecting him with the 22nd-overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. The 18-year-old defenseman will play at least one more season with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) before turning pro. The Athletic ranked him fourth in the Philadelphia system in their latest evaluation of the prospect pipeline (from The Athletic, Philadelphia Flyers rank No. 11 in NHL Pipeline Rankings for 2023, 8/23/23).
When former GM Ron Hextall selected Jay O’Brien with the 19th pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, most pundits called it a reach. Five years later, the Flyers have finally regained compensation from a failed pick. After giving up O’Brien’s rights this spring, they received the 51st-overall pick in 2024. The Boston Bruins reportedly have interest in signing the former Boston University winger. Flyers fans will always remember him when they watch K’Andre Miller, drafted three picks later, as a key contributor for the New York Rangers.
Rick Pracey left the Flyers to become the Director of Amateur Scouting for the Edmonton Oilers. He had worked for eight years as a scout in Philadelphia. He previously worked in the scouting department for the Colorado Avalanche during the era when they drafted Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog.
