By the numbers, the Philadelphia Flyers are one of the worst teams in the NHL. After taking a step in the right direction last season, they have regressed to the basement despite adding Calder Trophy candidate Matvei Michkov to their roster. At 4-7-1, the organization has seen better days.
That record can’t be excused by “bad luck,” either. The Flyers have played a lot of uninspired hockey, unable to generate any sustained offense in their past few games (or, really, the whole season). However, one recent addition to their regular lineup (due to Cam York’s injury) has made a case to stay long-term. Defenseman Emil Andrae, just 22, should be a fixture of the Orange and Black.
How Andrae Earned a Shot with the Flyers
This isn’t Andrae’s first NHL rodeo. The 2020 second-round draft selection played professionally in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) in 2022-23, which earned him an extended look at the Flyers’ 2023 training camp. He earned a roster spot and played four games with Philadelphia in 2023-24. By the eye and analytics test, he wasn’t ready for that kind of jump, so he was sent down to the American Hockey League (AHL) where he had an impressive campaign.
Vying to finish what he started, the 5-foot-9, 189-pound offensive defenseman looked worlds better during rookie camp and the Flyers’ main training camp before the 2024-25 campaign began. In the preseason, just five of the 15 Flyer defensemen who suited up had an expected goals percentage (xGF%) above 47.6—Andrae finished with a rate of 57.7. Out-generating his opponents and very comfortable with the puck on his stick, he seemed like a shoo-in to make the team with fellow defender Nick Seeler’s injury.
Related: Philadelphia Flyers Prospect Spotlight: Emil Andrae
Andrae made the big club but was a healthy scratch throughout its season-opening four-game road trip. Despite the Flyers’ defense vastly underperforming during that time, he still couldn’t get a look. Seeler was healthy after the team plane headed back to Philadelphia, so the youngster was sent to the AHL.
While York’s injury wasn’t a great sight for an already sinking team, it presented an opportunity for Andrae to be called back up. Head coach John Tortorella wanted to shake things up a bit, so he looked to Andrae. Needing to reignite the spark that nearly resulted in a playoff berth in 2023-24, Tortorella’s decision is paying off.
Why Andrae Needs to Stay in Philadelphia
Among the 221 defensemen who have at least 50 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5, only six of them have allowed fewer than 20 shots on goal per 60 minutes—Andrae is one of them. In terms of expected goals allowed relative to his team, his rate is the third-best in that group. Though his skill set is more catered to excelling on offense, he has prevented scoring chances at one of the best rates in the league.
Some might think Andrae is too small to be an NHL defenseman, much less one who plays well in his zone. But size is irrelevant to how effectively a player is able to get the puck from his zone to the neutral zone, laying the groundwork for his teammates to create offense. Despite being one of the smallest players in the sport (especially for a defender), it hasn’t mattered.
The numbers might tell you that, while Andrae has been good, he hasn’t provided enough offense to make him exciting. That has been true to this point, but there have been some promising signs. He’s choosing the right times to pinch in the offensive zone and has been excellent in breakout situations. He showed a lot of poise in transitioning from defense to offense in the preseason—he has continued to do this. On a team that has consistently struggled to make intelligent plays, Andrae has been the outlier.
Even when York comes back, Andrae should be in the lineup. Considering the latter’s youth, he only has room to grow his offensive game. He put up quality numbers at both the SHL and AHL levels, so the natural next step is the NHL. There have been some flashes of this in the early stages of his career, specifically on a primary assist sequence versus the Boston Bruins.
Tyson got the second chance and didn't miss it. 😤#PHIvsBOS | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/yhIhcN9guP
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) October 30, 2024
At least relative to the rest of the team, Andrae has been winning his minutes. It has been a breath of fresh air when he has come on the ice, especially since York was more or less the glue holding the defense together. Unlike the other Flyers, Andrae hasn’t shown risk aversion—he’ll make the necessary plays to put goals on the board but is simultaneously very responsible. In this way, he is reminiscent of Sean Walker last season, though the numbers won’t exactly agree with that assessment.
If the Flyers are pondering sending Andrae back to the AHL to play with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, they should rethink their approach. At 22 years of age, there is a lot for the left-shot defender to learn at the NHL level but he has lived up to the expectations of the league. He has developed a lot in the past few months, so this next step could be what he needs to unlock his full potential someday.
Stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick
