Emil Andrae Opens Up About 'Shocking Trade' From Flyers to Maple Leafs
Emil Andrae is excited to kick off the 2026-27 season, and for the mobile defenceman, he'll be joining a new team in Toronto. The Philadelphia Flyers sent Andrae to the Maple Leafs this offseason for goaltender Joseph Woll and defenceman Simon Benoit.
“A little shocking at first,” Andrae said Monday at his new club’s annual Leafs & Legends Charity Golf Classic. “But when I found out it was Toronto, I couldn’t be happier. I had a little bit of a feeling, maybe. There’s a lot of young guys coming up there, a lot of prospects that they need to get into the team, into the league,” said Andrae, already busy defending Gavin McKenna at Toronto’s captain’s skates. “For me, it was a great thing to get moved, too. I love the guys there, and I love the place, and I love to play in that city. But I think a fresh start for me now is going to be perfect. And I couldn't be more excited to be here.”
“It’s probably the biggest hockey market in the world,” said Andrae before teeing off. “It’s going to be a little different from Philly, of course, but I just can’t be more happy to be here and have fans that love hockey. And, I mean, you guys, reporters, that love it too. So, it’s gonna be fun.”
It was a surprising deal for both teams, as the Leafs were dealing from a position of strength to try and find some more puck-moving blueliners on the back end, and Andrae fit the bill perfectly. The smooth-skating defenceman can make a crisp outlet pass, he can skate out of danger, and he's loaded with untapped potential to become a top-four staple for the Maple Leafs. Andrae spoke to the media on Monday from the Maple Leafs golf tournament, and it's obvious he couldn't be more excited.
Andrae will likely start the season on the bottom pair, but has a chance to move up and push veterans like Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Morgan Rielly for minutes. The Maple Leafs are a much different team heading into this season, and there's certainly minutes to be won throughout the lineup. Andrae's excited to play with fellow countrymen William Nylander, someone he's leaned on for advice early on. “We had a good chat about the city, and he’s trying to help me get a place, (telling me) where to go and eat and all that stuff,” Andrae said. “He loves it here. It’s a great city and great hockey market. So, he has a lot of good things to say.”
“It’s probably the biggest hockey market in the world,” said Andrae before teeing off. “It’s going to be a little different from Philly, of course, but I just can’t be more happy to be here and have fans that love hockey. And, I mean, you guys, reporters, that love it too. So, it’s gonna be fun.”