PHILADELPHIA — Emil Andrae arrived at Philadelphia Flyers training camp in September with a healthy dose of confidence. After playing in 42 games with the NHL team last season, the natural next objective for the 23-year-old defenseman was to play in all of them with the big club in 2025-26.

But camp under a new coaching staff that didn’t know much about Andrae didn’t go swimmingly. He knows that, and can admit as much now. Still, when Flyers general manager Daniel Brière told Andrae that he would begin the season with the minor-league Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the Sweden native didn’t hold back in expressing his dismay.

“I was honest, and I said I was pissed,” Andrae said. “I didn’t think I played good enough to make the team. So, I said I was pissed, but I’m going to prove you guys wrong. … The mentality I had when I got down (to the AHL was to) play so good that they don’t have any choice (but) to bring me up and give me another chance. When that chance comes, I’ve got to make the most of it.”

Making the most of it, Andrae is. Recalled for a second time on Oct. 31, Andrae has not only become a mainstay in playing seven straight games, but in the Flyers’ 3-2 overtime win over the St. Louis Blues on Thursday, he was promoted to the second defense pair with Jamie Drysdale at the start of the second period and played what was arguably his best game this season.

The Flyers wouldn’t have won without him.

In the third period with the Flyers trailing 2-1, Andrae gobbled up a loose puck high in the offensive zone, picked his head up, spied Tyson Foerster floating to the weak side, spun around and put it on a tee for the winger to fire in a one-timer.

It was only a matter of time. #STLvsPHI | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/wxF7mLWHNO

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) November 21, 2025

Andrae’s heads-up play with about three minutes left preserved that tie. A point shot by Cam Fowler made its way to the front of the net, where Pavel Buchnevich was stationed to fish around for a dirty goal. Buchnevich’s shot from in tight rebounded off of Dan Vladar and popped out to Dalibor Dvorsky, who had the whole top of the net to shoot at with Vladar prone on the ice.

But Andrae, battling with Buchnevich, had the awareness to turn around on his knees and get the front of his jersey on Dvorsky’s attempt. He quickly popped back up on his skates and snapped an outlet pass to Owen Tippett, who charged in the other direction.

“I probably owe him some steak,” Vladar said of Andrae blocking that shot.

Andrae, like most young players, learned last season through his ups and downs that he got a bit “too emotionally involved in the games instead of trying to keep my energy level even.” He tried using mental coaches, but that’s not really his thing. Instead, he leaned on his father, Per.

“I kind of deal with it myself,” Andrae said, “but also my dad.”

He believes he’s more prepared to handle the inevitable slip-ups this season. Thursday’s game provided an example, as Andrae was bumped off the puck by Alexey Toropchenko on a retrieval in the first period, eventually resulting in Justin Faulk’s point shot giving the Blues a 1-0 lead about five minutes into the game.

“If you’re down on yourself,” Andrae said, “it’s going to start (affecting) your performance.”

Coach Rick Tocchet said earlier this week that Andrae is still trying to prove he’s officially arrived. “Andrae deserves to play,” Tocchet said Monday. “He’s trying to become an everyday NHL defenseman, and he’s chipping away at that.”

But the coach appreciates Andrae’s internal drive, including that message the defenseman had for Brière back before the season began.

“I’m glad he was pissed,” Tocchet said. “When you’re pissed, and do something about it …”

After Thursday’s game that moved the Flyers to 10-6-3 on the season, Tocchet explained why he and assistant coach Todd Reirden decided to change the look of their defense after a first period in which they found themselves down 2-0 to one of the league’s poorer teams. Nick Seeler, who has been with Drysdale for most of the season, dropped down to the third pair with Noah Juulsen, who had been with Andrae lately.

“I just felt Emil has been playing pretty good for us, right?” Tocchet said. “And he’s one of our better guys that goes back and wheels the puck and makes an outlet pass. Even on the blue line, faking, juking players, and stuff like that. Keep working with him, and he’ll get some more ice time.”

Travis Sanheim, who scored the overtime winner, said Andrae is “continuing to make good plays. He makes good reads. He’s not afraid to make them, and that’s why he’s getting those minutes.”

SANNY ENDS IT IN STYLE. #PHIvsSTL | @fwwebb pic.twitter.com/ncYywkM6AI

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) November 21, 2025

To be clear, Thursday was far from a perfect performance for the Flyers. After four days off, a couple of intense practices and lengthy off-ice video sessions, the Flyers were still unable to generate much offensively against a club that entered the game with the NHL’s worst goals-against average. Vladar was forced to make several key stops in the second period, especially to keep his team within striking distance of a comeback.

But coming back has become part of this season’s Flyers’ DNA, too. They improved to 7-4-2 when their opponent scores first; 4-2-2 when trailing after one period; and 4-5-2 when down after two. Rodrigo Abols’ first career goal at 17:57 of the second period finally got them on the board.

The Flyers still have just four regulation wins, tied for a league low. But they’re finding ways to bank points at a time when that’s all that really matters, particularly with the standings so tightly packed.

“It’s great to be resilient,” Seeler said, “but we need to continue to build on those first periods and get a little better.”

The Flyers were also able to put Saturday’s unsightly 5-1 loss in Dallas behind them. That was important, considering the New Jersey Devils visit Saturday, and Philadelphia kicked off a stretch of eight games over the next 14 days.

“We obviously wanted to bounce back,” Sanheim said. “Not the start we wanted. In saying that, you have the four days off, it takes a little bit to get your mind and your legs back into it. Then, I thought we started to find our game towards the second half of the game.”

They did, thanks in large part to Andrae, who doesn’t appear to be ticketed for Lehigh Valley again anytime soon.

“I think (Thursday’s game) was a step forward,” Andrae said, “and just trying to keep building on this.”