While the Toronto Maple Leafs had an ugly 2025-26 season, optimism surrounding the club has certainly increased this offseason. This is because the Maple Leafs not only brought in several new players this summer but also landed Gavin McKenna with this year's first-overall pick. With this, it is hard not to feel some excitement about the Original Six club's future.
McKenna is undoubtedly the Maple Leafs' biggest breakout candidate for the 2026-27 season. Although this is the case, the Maple Leafs have another breakout candidate who fans need to start talking about more: defenseman Emil Andrae.
The Maple Leafs acquired Andrae from the Philadelphia Flyers earlier this offseason in a multi-player deal. The Maple Leafs sent goalie Joseph Woll and defenseman Simon Benoit to the Flyers in exchange for Andrae, goalie Samuel Ersson (who Toronto then traded to the Ottawa Senators), and a 2026 third-round pick.
While Andrae was not the notable name from this big summer trade, he has the potential to be a strong pickup for the Maple Leafs. He has shown promise early on during his NHL career, but there is no question that he has the tools to put together a big breakout year for the Maple Leafs.
Andrae took a nice step forward in his development last season with the Flyers, as he set new career highs with two goals, 11 assists, and 13 points in 61 games. This was after he recorded one goal and seven points in 42 games with the Flyers during the 2024-25 season. Overall, he has been trending in the right direction, so it would not be surprising if we see him take that next step as an offensive defenseman next season for Toronto.
Furthermore, with Andrae being just 24 years old and only 107 games into his NHL career, it is clear that he still has the potential to hit a new level. His past play at the AHL level is also encouraging, as he had 16 points in 25 games for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in 2024-25 and 32 points in 61 games for Lehigh Valley in 2023-24. These are solid numbers, and it is fair to wonder if he could translate some of this play over to the NHL level with the Maple Leafs next season.
Andrae could get big boost from his fresh start with the Maple Leafs
With the Flyers' blueline being crowded, Andrae sometimes had trouble staying in their lineup. Because of this, getting a change of scenery with the Maple Leafs could also benefit him. Based on their current roster, he should fit nicely on their bottom pairing and could even be a candidate for some power play time.
With all of this, there is a lot to be optimistic about when it comes to Andrae. It will be interesting to see if he can put together a big year with the Maple Leafs from here.
Add us as a preferred source on Google