With their second selection in the NHL Draft, the Flyers took the Swedish defenseman in Emil Andrae.
With quite a few players dropping during the second round, it began to look like the Flyers would have a healthy selection of players to select from. After taking a forward in Tyson Foerster with their first-round pick, the team went to the defensive side with their next. Thus with the 54th overall pick, they drafted Emil Andrae from HV71 of the Swedish Hockey League.
The biggest knock on Andrae coming in was his size. And that was a big reason that he fell slightly in the draft. Despite that, he was the top-scoring defenseman in the SuperElit league this past season. He posted 11 goals and 38 points in 40 games. He was the top defensemen on the HV71 J20 team. Andrae also impressed at the international level, grabbing 12 points in 13 games for Sweden.
After appearing in 10 games in the SHL last season, it looks like Andrae has made the jump full-time this season. He has played in five games thus far for HV71. He grabbed his first point in the league this season. However, he led the team in pre-season scoring with 10 points in seven games. So the points could come in bunches during the season.
Despite his small stature, Andrae isn’t afraid to throw his body around. He is also known for his solid-puck handling skills and the ability to quickly transition out of the defensive zone. And once he has done that, he has also been known to jump up into the play. Even without the points to show for it, he has large confidence in his offensive game.
With the recent loss of Matt Niskanen, the Flyers were quick to add some more defensive depth to the system. Andrae will certainly need some more time to grow into his frame. But playing in the SHL as an 18-year-old is a step in the right direction. Continuing to play against grown men will no doubt help.