Flyers’ defenseman Emil Andrae did not make the roster out of training camp. In fact, he was sent down to Lehigh before the final day of roster cuts, despite the “battle” for the final defenseman spots on the roster.

While his play during camp and the preseason is what earned the demotion, it’s hard to ignore the fact that his size certainly holds him back. By no means did Andrae have a camp worthy of making an NHL roster, but when compared to the players who actually made it, it became a head-scratcher.

Nonetheless, just two games into the NHL season, Andrae has already been recalled, and Dennis Gilbert has been reassigned to the Phantoms. Cam York remains out of the lineup, meaning the defensive pairings will only include Andrae and Jamie Drysdale as the smaller blueliners.

However, Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet has not ruled out a defensive group with York, Andrae, and Drysdale moving forward.

Emil Andrae has a new opportunity to stick with the Flyers. What will he do?

Read More: Flyers Postgame: Tocchet Explains Michkov’s Absence in Overtime

Andrae on Return to Flyers

“This is where I want to be, and I’m happy to get back here,“ said Flyers defenseman Emil Andrae when asked if he was happy to be back with the Flyers.

Andrae only got one game in with the Phantoms this season before getting the call back up to the NHL. In that game, Andrae tallied two assists.

After the Flyers’ morning skate at Xfinity Mobile Arena, Andrae spoke to the media and said he was in the right mindset after getting sent down. “I was disappointed to get sent down. I didn’t play well enough to make the roster. Then, I just had the mindset to get back here: Go down to Lehigh, even if it takes one game or two months, I want to get back here, and it’s my goal. So now I have an opportunity. I just got to take it.”

Andrae has shown flashes of the potential the Flyers know he has. Last season, in some games, he looked like a legitimate top-four option. Others, he looked lost. Consistency is something the defenseman needs to show. Andrae knows his game will come with ups and downs.

He was asked what he needed to do to find that consistency and insert himself into the everyday mix on defense. Andrae said, “You want to make plays, but at the same time, you want to be reliable. I think it’s more of a mindset than how you play. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Just get out there, play my game, and just try to relax and have this swagger. I think that’s going to help me more than thinking about what I have to do.”

That fight for the opportunity to stay starts on Monday night.

Pressure is a Privilege

With the opportunity to become an everyday player for the Flyers defensively, there will be plenty of pressure on Andrae. To the Flyers’ young blueliner, that does not faze him.

“Pressure is a privilege,” Andrae Said. “It means something for me to stay here, and that’s what I’m thinking about. I don’t think about pressure like that. I think I put the biggest pressure on myself, so I am just trying to focus on what I can control.”

The 23-year-old knows his immediate future is in question. He is still waiver-exempt, so the easy choice could be to reassign him back to Lehigh Valley once Cam York is healthy. However, Andrae knows he can influence the team’s decision by outplaying the rest of the bottom-three defensemen.

“My mindset is to play well enough to stay here, and that’s my goal,” Andrae said. “Take it game by game, and hopefully I can put in a good effort today and show this coaching staff that I belong.”

Now, focus shifts to Monday’s contest against the Panthers, where he will make his 2025-26 season debut.

Read More: Flyers Game 3, Home Opener; Lines, Notes, & How to Watch vs. Panthers