Development camp takeaways: Emil Andrae, Bobby Brink make their cases, Cutter Gauthier absent

The stands at the Wells Fargo Center got emptier and emptier last season as the Flyers continued to plummet in the standings. But with a new sense of hope, the fans showed up in droves this week in Voorhees to get a glimpse of the future of the Flyers and their “new era of orange.”

Throughout the development camp, which consisted of four on-ice sessions, there were fans waiting to ask for autographs. The two days before the Fourth of July brought out especially good crowds. While the numbers thinned a bit Wednesday, the stands were packed and the parking lot was full for Thursday’s scrimmage at the Flyers Training Center.

» READ MORE: Tyson Foerster stands above the rest at Flyers development camp

The players responded in front of the packed house, bringing intensity and scoring eight goals before the contest was decided in a shootout.

Here are some observations from development camp, which culminated in the scrimmage:

With a loud bang, Emil Andrae sent Elliot Desnoyers crashing into the boards Wednesday. It was just another example of the physicality Andrae brought all week.

Unfortunately, Desnoyers had to be helped off the ice, but he made it back for Thursday’s scrimmage where both he and Andrae showed off their skills.

Andrae is clearly competing for an NHL spot and showed that with his intensity at development camp. But Andrae’s competitiveness didn’t surprise assistant general manager Brent Flahr, who said this is how the 5-foot-9 defenseman has always played.

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Desnoyers will also be hoping to make the team out of training camp and will try to build off the small four-game taste of the NHL he had last season. Whereas Andrae, who Desnoyers said is one of his best friends at the camp, displayed his physicality, Desnoyers showed off his creativity and hockey IQ this week.

In the other group, defensemen Helge Grans and Hunter McDonald stood out from the crowd. Two big bodies, when paired together they were an impressive sight. The 6-4, 205-pound Grans used his length well to get his stick into passing lanes, while McDonald (6-4, 208) wasn’t afraid to be physical, killing plays by pushing players into less dangerous areas. Both have agility despite their size and seem to have a good understanding of positioning. Granted, it’s development camp, so their size will be less noticeable at the NHL level, but they both made good initial impressions.

Tyson Foerster also stood out with his physical play, something he focused on last season. He and his fellow Phantoms teammates who attended development camp were clearly more experienced than others. Right winger Bobby Brink, who was rehabbing after hip surgery last year, looked faster and stronger. He showed off some of his hockey IQ and his skill with the puck on his stick, including on several occasions during the scrimmage.

All eyes were on defenseman Oliver Bonk from the get go, since he was the only first-round pick from the last two drafts to attend. He didn’t dazzle with flashy puck skills or goals, but that’s not what he’s known for. Instead, he played steady defense to the point where he kept up and didn’t look out of place against older, more experienced players.

» READ MORE: Flyers’ Oliver Bonk learning intensity of NHL, relishing first development camp experience

Finally, while Alex Bump impressed throughout camp, he really opened eyes during the scrimmage when he scored twice and used his size to create opportunities for himself. The 2022 fifth-round pick also showcased his quick hands with a nifty goal during the shootout.

One of the main criticisms against Cole Knuble as a prospect has been his skating. As a result, he went undrafted last year in his first year of eligibility. So Knuble went to work and was rewarded by hearing his name called in the fourth round by his father Mike’s former team at this year’s draft. Flahr said the organization liked how Knuble addressed his skating over the past year in the USHL. At development camp, Knuble showed Flyers fans what he has also convinced the front office: He no longer has to worry about keeping up.

Meanwhile winger Samu Tuomaala has always been known for his speed. He has played in Finland with mixed results over the last two seasons, but he showed he still possesses blazing speed upon his return to Voorhees. However, Tuomaala has always been lighter, in keeping with that speed. He has worked hard on getting stronger and has made gains while staying light of foot. Director of player development Riley Armstrong compared Tuomaala’s strong legs to those of Sidney Crosby’s.

Last year, McDonald was already large. Now, he’s even bigger. He put on about 10-15 pounds over the last year and it showed as he dwarfed most of the other prospects at camp.

Zayde Wisdom, on the other hand, was looking to slim down. He said Phantoms coach Ian Laperrière emphasized that fitness should be a focus in the offseason, and Wisdom has taken it to heart. He’s trying to balance shedding weight with maintaining his physical game. Last offseason, he had a similar focus, and Laperrière named Wisdom as one of the most improved players in that regard.

Both former second-round picks, Andrae and Tuomaala are looking to make the full-time move to North America. Tuomaala, a 2021 pick, has been playing in Finland while Andrae, a 2020 pick, played in Sweden before joining the Lehigh Valley Phantoms last season for their final 10 games plus the playoffs.

Andrae’s situation is “complicated,” but he’s hoping to play in the “best league in the world.” He will head to the Flyers’ next two camps — rookie camp and training camp — with the hope of making the NHL roster. If Andrae does not make the Flyers out of camp, there is an option for him to return to his pro team in Sweden for the season. But Flahr is hopeful Andrae will remain in North America for his development.

While Tuomaala hopes to play in the NHL, he said he “most likely” expects to start with the Phantoms.

Several players at development camp have had tastes of the NHL. Brink debuted after his college season in 2022. Foerster and Desnoyers debuted last season. All three are driven to try to make the Flyers’ opening-night roster. Watching them get a chance has also pushed teammates, like Wisdom, to work harder for their own chance.

Several others aren’t thinking about the NHL quite yet. McDonald and Devin Kaplan are heading back to Boston for their sophomore years of college at Northeastern and Boston University, respectively. Bump will start his freshman year at the University of Vermont. He wasn’t happy with his performance last season in the USHL and will be going in with a chip on his shoulder.

Meanwhile, Bonk will return to London of the Ontario Hockey League for another season.

Fans who flocked to the Flyers Training Center to get a look at this year’s draft picks were able to see only six of the 10 picks through most of camp.

The two recent Russian draft picks, winger Matvei Michkov and goalie Egor Zavragin, are both preparing for their seasons back home.

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Denver Barkey, a third-round pick, sprained his ankle at the end of his season with the London Knights, and was held to off-ice workouts. Flahr said Barkey was less than happy to miss the on-ice portion of camp.

Fourth-rounder Alex Čiernik participated in the first two days but then had to sit out because of a groin injury.

Additionally, 2022 first-round pick Cutter Gauthier was not at camp. General manager Danny Brière says the team believes it’s because of how much hockey he has played recently. Gauthier played for Team USA in the World Championships in May after his college season ended.