Flyers not expected to carry eight defensemen to start season

Take one look at the Flyers defense and you can tell that there isn't an open spot. With Rasmus Ristolainen and Jamie Drysdale healthy, the team has six defensemen ready to suit up. Add Erik Johnson as the seventh man, and there is no spot available.

That was a known fact coming into training camp. What is available is being the eighth defenseman. That position is wide open and ready for the taking. But there hasn't been much competition for it, which is disappointing to John Tortorella.

I'm a little disappointed some guys haven't stepped up and grabbed a hold of it and made the decision for us," Tortorella said on Wednesday morning. "So we're just gonna keep on going about it here in the next week or so and see what our conversations bring.

What is not on the table is bringing eight defensemen on the Flyers' season-opening road trip. Although they will be on the West Coast, Tortorella would rather play only five defensemen than have someone sitting in the press box. Because if they are going to have two extras, the other player sitting is likely going to be a rookie.

If I have to go to five, I'll go to five. I don't want to bring eight because if you're bringing eight, someone's sitting that really should be playing. I would think it would be one of our kids in that spot. It's important for them to play.

It's a philosophy that Tortorella has held since he first started. He has stressed wanting to play the kids and see what they have. That was what the first year of his tenure was about. Now in his third season, it's all about everyone collectively taking the next step.

That includes those vying for that extra spot on defense. They won't be starting in the NHL, but there will come a time when the Flyers will need to bring someone up to fill a spot. So what better time than now to show that you want to be that guy?

Emil Andrae has inside track on eighth defensemen role

One player that has stood out during camp has been Emil Andrae. The young defenseman made the Flyers out of camp last season but looked overwhelmed in his four games. The pace seemed to be a bit too fast for him so he spent the rest of the season down with the Phantoms.

Since rookie camp, Andrae has looked more confident and has been drawing praise from the entire coaching staff. He is one of the players who has taken the opportunity in front of him and proved that he deserves another chance.

Andrae has quietly gone about his business and has had a good camp. So that's why he has practiced with us today," Tortorella said. As I've told a number of those defensemen, what are you waiting for? Because that spot is wide open.

The Flyers will have a rather young defense on Thursday as Tortorella expects no more than five veterans will be in the lineup. With the Devils' NHL squad in Prague to begin the season, Philadelphia will send out a younger lineup with New Jersey doing so as well.

It messes with things a little bit in terms of certain players being in or out of the lineup. But this is another chance for some of those younger players to make one final statement to the coaching staff. There are going to be some tough cuts to make before the Flyers open the season next week.

It's now or never for all of these players on the bubble to show that they are ready and willing to take their spots.