Flyers grab D-man Emil Andrae 54th overall

The Philadelphia Flyers drafted defenseman Emil Andrae with the 54th pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.

Emil Andrae

Position: Defenseman
Height: 5-foot-9
Weight: 183 lbs
Age: 18
Club: HV71 J20 (J20 SuperElit)
Nationality: Swedish

Andrae spent the majority of the 2019-20 season in Sweden's highest junior league, but he did manage to crack the pro roster of Swedish Hockey League club HV71 for 10 games, during which he was held pointless.

He was one of the top defensemen in the junior league, leading all blue-liners in points during the season. Andrae is a creative player with a high hockey IQ. He's shown all the tools required to be an elite offensive defenseman, while his defensive skills remain adequate.

What they're saying

"Offensively, he's highly skilled and creative. He has the hands to make crafty one-on-one plays off the rush, and at the offensive blue line he shows no hesitancy to walk the line and make skilled plays," wrote The Athletic's Corey Pronman. "He sees the ice very well, finding options through tight seams at a high level."

"He's very talented and steady. He can play at both ends," an NHL scout told Pronman. "He's very skilled, he has guts. The skating for that size will be the question."

Highlights