Flyers prospect rankings: Defenseman Emil Andrae headlines Nos. 6-10

The Flyers have undoubtedly upgraded the top of their prospect pool with the additions of top-10 picks Cutter Gauther and Matvei Michkov in the last two drafts. But what does the organization have behind them when it comes to depth?

While the Flyers still have a way to go in their rebuilding, they have done a nice job restocking their prospect pool over the last few seasons, including adding 10 new players in last month’s draft. Some of the organization’s prospects are starting to break through and push for NHL time, while others are still early in the development process.

After looking at the Flyers’ top five prospects last week in part one of this two-part series, here’s how we’d rank prospects Nos. 6-10 in the system. As a reminder, this list includes only players who will be 24 years old or younger as of opening night (Oct. 12) and have played fewer than 50 NHL games.

» READ MORE: Ranking the Flyers’ top 5 prospects after the 2023 NHL draft

One of my favorite prospects in the system for a while now, Andrae is a somewhat polarizing player among experts. The questions largely surround his ceiling given his size at 5-foot-9 and 176 pounds. While he may lack ideal NHL size on paper, Andrae compensates for it with his competitiveness and the edge he plays with. The 2020 second-round pick plays bigger than his measurables and actually seems to relish contact and physical battles. Coaches have also praised Andrae for his leadership, particularly when captaining his native Sweden at international tournaments.

Andrae, 21, is extremely confident with the puck, and always has his head up looking to make a play. A good puck handler, he is smooth exiting his own zone and has excellent vision. In the offensive zone, he is a fluid lateral skater, which allows him to walk the line and make plays, particularly on the power play. He tends to get his shots through to the net and has the patience and ability to make the killer pass. Andrae plays with a fiery passion and swagger, which pops all over the ice.

After a dominant season in Sweden’s second division two years ago (33 points in 41 games), Andrae was impressive last year in his SHL debut with HV71, scoring six goals and tallying 26 points while playing a major role in a league tailored to veterans. He also did some good things in his short spell with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

The next steps for Andrae will be improving his decision-making and defensive awareness. He does have a tendency to force plays at times because of his high skill level, while sometimes he can run around a bit in his own end. Last season, FloHockey’s Chris Peters said he sees some of St. Louis Blues defenseman Torey Krug in Andrae.

One of the brightest and most physical players at development camp, Andrae looks poised to fight for an opening night roster spot with the Flyers, although odds are he starts with the Phantoms or activates his option to return to play another season in the SHL. Regardless, if Andrae hits on his potential long-term, he could top out as a really good No. 3 defenseman with offensive upside.

» READ MORE: Prospect Emil Andrae could bring competitiveness and smarts to the Flyers’ blue line

While the Flyers swung for the fences with their top pick this year by taking Michkov, most viewed the selection of Bonk at No. 22 overall as a rather conservative move. Time will tell, but most scouts seem to agree that the Flyers have landed a solid defensive defenseman who projects to have a long NHL career. The question will be can he develop into more than a No. 4 or No. 5 at the NHL level?

Bonk’s defense is what made him a first-round pick, as he plays a simple but effective shutdown game that revolves around sound positioning, defensive instincts, and a good stick. While he’s capable of playing the body, he is not a guy who will regularly knock people off their skates with huge open ice checks. Instead, the 6-2, 180-pound Bonk defends with his stick and redirects opponents to the outside. He retrieves pucks well in his own end — which he demonstrated during development camp — and is consistent with many of the little details within a game.

Despite putting up 10 goals and 41 points in the OHL last season, Bonk does not possess any truly dynamic offensive skills. His skating is fine but not a strength, while his puck handling and shot are just average at this point. None of this is to say Bonk can’t contribute 25-35 points a year, just that he is unlikely to ever be a big offensive weapon. Bonk will return to London to play another season of junior for Dale and Mark Hunter with the Knights. He is a high floor/lower ceiling type prospect unless the offense takes an unforeseen jump.

On paper, the Flyers look to have a nice, young 1-2 punch in 24-year-old Carter Hart and 23-year-old Sam Ersson. But don’t discount Kolosov’s factoring into the equation soon. The 21-year-old, who recently signed his entry-level deal with the Flyers, was one of the best young goaltenders in the KHL the last few seasons.

Last season, Kolosov posted a .912 save percentage and a 2.55 goals against average in 42 games for middling Dinamo Minsk. He faced the 10th-most shots in the league and held up well despite the average team in front of him.

Given he isn’t the biggest goaltender at 6-1, Kolosov’s game is predicated on quickness and athleticism. He plays an athletic butterfly style and has excellent post-to-post agility. Kolosov is no stranger to highlight reel saves either, as his athleticism and recovery speed keep him in every play.

He will play next season on loan with Dinamo Minsk but is expected to come over to North America for the 2024-25 campaign.

Kaplan’s freshman season at Boston University kind of flew under the radar because of Gauthier’s success across town at rival Boston College. But the 2022 third-round pick was impressive in his own right, scoring 10 goals and accumulating 23 points in 40 games for a nationally ranked Terriers squad that reached the Frozen Four.

Most impressive was that Kaplan wore several different hats and played on different lines throughout the season. At times, the 19-year-old played on a checking line and fulfilled an energy role, and at others he was moved up the lineup to provide size and a net front presence. While not a fast skater, Kaplan showcased an ability to build up momentum in the neutral zone and play a downhill, north-south game.

» READ MORE: Flyers roster: An early look at how the Orange and Black could line up next season

He also started to better utilize his 6-2, 199-pound frame later in the season, playing physically and holding off opponents on the cycle. Kaplan projects as a power forward type at the next level and there were several glimpses of that during his freshman campaign. The best example came during a dominant shift in the Hockey East title game when he threw a big hit, emerged from a battle with the puck, used his long reach to maneuver around a defender, and then fired a bullet of a shot back across the grain for the game-tying goal.

While size and power are the main draws with Kaplan, he does have some nifty hands and creative ideas with the puck on his stick for a bigger player. Kaplan remains a bit of a project, but his size, playmaking ability, and reliable 200-foot play are nice traits to start with. His reach is another major weapon, as Kaplan’s hard to take the puck from and does a good job keeping opponents on his hip when working down low and when cruising into the offensive zone.

The key question with him will be can his skating improve enough to keep up with play at the next level? Kaplan will return to BU for a second season.

Egor Zamula, Ronnie Attard, and Samu Tuomaala were all players in consideration here, but how about Desnoyers, who continues to surprise and outperform his draft position (fifth round, No. 135 in 2020)?

Once viewed purely as a high-motor checker with good defensive instincts, Desnoyers has an offensive game that evolved seemingly from nowhere over the last two seasons. After exploding for 42 goals and 88 points in his final year of junior, Desnoyers followed that up by smashing expectations last year for his first pro season. The 21-year-old led the Phantoms with 23 goals in 65 games and also earned an unlikely call-up to the NHL, where he played four games.

» READ MORE: Flyers prospect Elliot Desnoyers’ Christmas wish comes true, as he prepares to represent Canada at the World Juniors

While defensive responsibility and aggressive forechecking are still staples of the winger’s game — he models himself after former Selke Trophy winners Patrice Bergeron and Sean Couturier — his sudden knack for scoring goals has changed the projection for him a bit long-term, especially given his age. Desnoyers’ shot is one part of his game that seems to have been particularly overlooked in the draft process but is starting to shine through at the pro level.

The Canadian continues to get better and it looks as if the Flyers have found a versatile middle-six forward with a late-round draft pick. He also figures to be a Tortorella favorite, given his attention to detail, competitiveness, and diligent play away from the puck. Desnoyers will be a long shot to make the team out of camp, but he should see more NHL time as the season wears on.

Next 10 (in alphabetical order): Ronnie Attard, D (Phantoms, AHL), Denver Barkey, C (London, OHL), Carson Bjarnasson, G (Brandon, WHL), Alex Bump, LW (Vermont, NCAA), Alex Čiernik, LW (Västerviks IK, Swedish Allsvenskan), Helge Grans, D (Phantoms, AHL), Olle Lycksell, C/LW (Phantoms, AHL), Hunter McDonald, D (Northeastern, NCAA), Samu Tuomaala, RW (Phantoms, AHL), Egor Zamula, D (Flyers, NHL).