Emil Andrae just landed at #6 on the 2026 T25U25 list, but if you look closer at how he got to Toronto, things get real murky, real fast. John Chayka’s first move as Leafs GM was to snag Andrae from the Philadelphia Flyers, shipping Joseph Woll and Simon Benoit the other way, plus a third-round pick. Initially, it seemed like Chayka was all-in on Andrae as a consequential piece, but honestly, the more time passes, the less that seems true.
The “Problematic Depth Defender” Swap
When the trade first went down, I was definitely scratching my head about sending Woll packing and figured Andrae had to be some kind of stud to justify it. But then you remember goalies often go for a third-round pick across the board, which was also part of this deal. Suddenly, it looks less like a blockbuster for a cornerstone defender and more like two teams just trying to offload some depth issues. Simon Benoit, who went to Philly, was statistically the worst regular defender in the entire league last year, rocking a shot share under 40% in over 1000 minutes at 5v5. On the flip side, Andrae was an RFA with arbitration rights, and Philly probably didn’t want to pay him what he could get for a guy they weren’t planning on playing much. So, the Leafs grabbed a guy who’s a better puck-mover than Benoit and won’t have that “catastrophic floor.”
Who Exactly Is Emil Andrae?
Let’s talk about the player himself. Andrae is 24.35 years old as of July 1, a left-shot defender listed at 5’9″ and 189 lbs. He was a second-round pick, 54th overall, in the 2020 draft. He’s grown into a small, mobile, left-shot depth defender. Before jumping to North America in 2023-24, he had three pro seasons with HV71 and even played for Sweden at the World Juniors twice. In the three seasons before this one, he played more NHL games each year, but always in a 6/7 role. There was one season where Philly finished last in the Metro and drafted Porter Martone sixth overall, where Andrae saw a bit of second-pair action, but last season? He was stuck exclusively on the third pair or chilling in the pressbox. His contract is even comparable to Troy Stetcher’s, which should tell you to keep those expectations dialed way back. He’s a “fun” defender in that chances for both teams go up when he’s on the ice. Offensively, he’s a good skating playmaker who can be impactful from the blueline. Defensively, though, he struggles big time winning puck battles, especially against heavy forecheck pressure. Max Domi literally snuck up behind him, stole the puck, and scored once. The author of the original piece doesn’t know how impactful Andrae will be, especially with McCabe, Rielly, and OEL already locking down the left side. It seems like playing him with and against other depth players is his safest bet.
So, what’s next for Emil Andrae? With that logjam on the left side, it feels like he’s gotta prove he’s more than just a “fun” depth guy who struggles defensively. Will he ever truly break out past that third pairing, or will this always be seen as a trade where two teams just swapped out their headaches? Time’s gonna tell on this one.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pension Plan Puppets.
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