Where Will Emil Andrae Play His 2023-24 Season?

Philadelphia Flyers development camp is well under way, and the young stars are in Voorhees, New Jersey showing off their skills. The AHL level players are trying to impress the team and show that they might deserve a chance for the opening day roster. The junior level guys are hoping to earn a spot with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, and everyone else is trying to make the Flyers. However, it’s unclear where defenseman Emil Andrae stands amongst his peers.

As far as blueliners go, Emil Andrae is a bit on the small side. The 21 year old stands at 5’9″ and 176 lbs. Playing for HV71 Jonkoping of the Swedish Hockey League, he scored six goals and 20 assists in 51 games. This comes after Andrae had to miss some time after taking a puck to the face near the start of the season last year.

Emil Andrae played well enough during his time in Sweden to sign a three-year entry-level deal this past spring. At the conclusion of the SHL season, he flew across the Atlantic and played for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, suiting up for 10 games and scoring six points. The question that remains is where Emil Andrae will play this upcoming season. The answer is a bit complicated. Bill Meltzer, a writer for HockeyBuzz.com explained it like this:

"Back in April 2022, the NHL signed a new transfer agreement with the Swedish Ice Hockey Federation (SIF for short). The new agreement amended several facets of the previous agreements. One key change was a significant bump-up in transfer fees (roughly a 45 percent increase). The other key change pertained to a “return policy” for many — but not all — NHL prospects drafted from Swedish clubs. It depends on their age, the round in which they were selected in the Entry Draft, and whether their NHL club (once signed to an entry-level contract) opts to keep them on the parent club roster or to loan them to a club in another league."

So, what does that mean? Well, if Emil Andrae is on the Philadelphia Flyers’ roster on opening night, nothing changes. However, if he is sent down to Allentown, his rights revert back to Sweden. His Swedish club, HV71 Jonkoping, will then make the choice of either letting him play in the AHL or recalling him back home.  Had Andrae been a first-round selection, this would’ve made him exempt. But, because Emil Andrae was a second-round pick in 2020 and is also under the age of 24, he is subjected to this new agreement.

However, nothing is set in stone. There are ways that the Philadelphia Flyers and HV71 Jonkoping can work around this. For example, if HV71 Jonkoping just happened to release Emil Andrae outright, the defender would be free to stay in North America.  There are also ways that the Flyers could buy out his contract or offer the SHL something in return.

If Emil Andrae could manage to make the Philadelphia Flyers, or remain with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, it would be a big help for the organization. After trading Ivan Provorov last month, the defense is in a state of transition. Likewise, the looming trade of Tony DeAngelo will leave another open spot on the blueline. The Flyers could add a veteran defender via trade or free agency, but bringing up Emil Andrae or other young defenders, like Egor Zamula or Ronnie Attard, would allow the team to better evaluate how their prospects handle the pressure of playing in the NHL.

At the 2022 World Juniors, Emil Andrae began to draw comparisons to another smaller defender in recent Philadelphia Flyers history – Kimmo Timonen. Timonen wasn’t as big as some of his teammates, but put together an impressive seven-year run in Philly as part of a 16-year career. Timonen used his size to his advantage by skating around opponents and playing smartly with the puck. If Emil Andrae is getting compared to Timonen, that is a huge compliment.

Emil Andrae could be an impactful part of the Philadelphia Flyers defense for years to come. Whether or not he plays this year or next year will have to be determined. For right now, the Flyers staff will be evaluating Andrae and other prospects at camp this week.