Andrae faces bigger challenge but he’s up for it

Emil Andrae

PHILADELPHIA – When rookie defenseman Emil Andrae made it to the Flyers’ final roster cut in early October, he knew he had a good chance of being first in line for a call-up.

Turns out the optimism was justified.

When first pair defenseman Cam York suffered an injury serious enough to put him on IR (minimum of two weeks), the Flyers reached for the phone and dialed Lehigh Valley.

Andrae showed up and in a big way. The other night in Boston, he picked up his first NHL point, an assist on Tyson Foerster’s goal which turned out to be the game-winner.

Although only about 5-foot-10, Andrae has shown he can exchange physical stuff with the big boys. That’s exactly what the Flyers want on a back line not known for crushing checks.

At Thursday morning’s pre-game skate, Andrae discussed what the transition has been like going from the American Hockey League to the NHL.

Andrae had a brief trial with the Flyers last year but appeared nervous at times and understandably so. This time around he looks calmer and more sure of himself.

“I think I feel more comfortable now than I did last year,” Andrae said. “I think maybe last year was a bit overwhelming for me at the beginning. There was a lot of new things going on. Being up here, there was a lot to take in.”

Andrae has been paired with veteran backliner Erik Johnson and that helps, too. Johnson knows the game so well and he’s a former Stanley Cup winner (with Colorado in ’22) so there’s an instant respect factor.

“I feel more comfortable off the ice, so that makes me more comfortable on the ice, too,” Andrae said. “I think that helps, too.”

The Flyers try to play a five-man defense much of the time and that makes Andrae’s job a bit easier. Not as many odd-man rushes to defend and so forth. The other night in Boston, the Bruins had very few two-on-ones and three-on-twos.

The Phantoms sort of play the same way.

“I think it’s been a pretty smooth transition for me,” Andrae said. “The coaches have helped me. It’s been good so far.”

The question now is whether Andrae will be allowed to stick around once York gets healthy again. The Flyers were already carrying seven defensemen when York went down and if Andrae were an eighth and just sitting around, it certainly wouldn’t help his development.

Andrae showed what he’s made of in a brief scuffle with a Bruin at TD Garden.

When asked about the physical disagreement, Andrae cracked a smile. One gets the impression Andrae doesn’t mind mixing it up.

“Of course I wanted to stand up for myself,” he said. “The situation was I thought he slew-foot me. I was upset. After I saw the video there. I feel like I have a lot of compete in my game and that’s what I have to do. I’m a little bit smaller so I have to be a little bit harder.”

Is he determined not to get pushed around because of his size?

“I don’t think that’s my mindset,” he said. “But that’s how I play. I’m not the biggest guy. But that’s the way I want to play.”

Coach John Tortorella, a former player who wasn’t exactly a Rasmus Ristolainen-type, seems to have a soft spot for guys who play bigger than their size.

“He’s played well,” the coach said. “He’s got to understand some situational plays. You may have to wait for another time in the game to make that play but that’s to be expected. I think he’s come in and his positioning away from the puck has improved. I think he’s played a couple good games for us.”

On Foerster’s goal, Andrae’s skill was quite evident.

“On the assist he gets on Tyson’s goal, it’s such a neat play,” Tortorella said. “He’s going to get stickchecked but he checks the opposing player’s stick first to protect the puck. Grabs it and makes a play. That’s skill.”

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About Wayne Fish 2587 Articles
Wayne Fish has been covering the Flyers since 1976, a stint which includes 18 Stanley Cup Finals, four Winter Olympics and numerous other international events.