Emil Andrae’s recent recall to the Philadelphia Flyers has ended after one game. Jackie Spiegel of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Andrae’s name is no longer listed on the Flyers roster on the NHL media site, which means he has been reassigned to the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Without a corresponding roster move, the move all but guarantees a return for defenseman Cameron York, which was reported on yesterday. The only item left on Philadelphia’s to-do list would be to activate York from their injured reserve, which will likely happen tomorrow.
Although his one-game recall won’t make a lasting impression on the Flyers’ front office, it likely won’t be Andrae’s last time in the NHL this season. He skated in 10:22 of Philadelphia’s win over the Florida Panthers on Monday, earning an 87.5% CorsiFor% at even strength.
Given that he’s on his entry-level contract, and thus exempt from waivers, Andrae is an easy choice for a readily available depth option. He skated in 42 games for the Flyers last year, scoring one goal and seven points while averaging 17:21 of ice time. His possession metrics were relatively positive, a rare quality for Philadelphia last year, though his defensive metrics left much to be desired.
His play with AHL Lehigh Valley indicates that there’s another level to his offensive game. Since debuting for the Phantoms in 2022-23, Andrae has scored 10 goals and 56 points in 97 games, becoming one of their most consistent blueliners over that stretch. Still, defensemen tend to take longer to develop, and Andrae is only 23 years old. Should he continue to get consistent reps in the AHL, he’ll have a better chance of cracking the Flyers roster out of training camp next season.