Flyers recall former second-round pick for NHL debut

The Flyers announced Monday that theyve recalled defenseman Helge Grans from AHL Lehigh Valley under emergency conditions.

The 22-year-old will make his NHL debut Monday against the Avalanche, Jordan Hall of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports.

Grans will enter the lineup for Emil Andrae , whom the team said wont play after sustaining a mid-body injury against the Sabres on Saturday.

Philadelphia moved goaltender Samuel Ersson to injured reserve to open a spot on the active roster.

Grans arrived in the Flyers organization last year as part of the three-team trade with the Kings and Blue Jackets that sent Ivan Provorov to Columbus.

Drafted 35th overall by Los Angeles in 2020, the 6-foot-3, 205-pound righty already has loads of professional experience.

He logged 69 games of Swedish Hockey League experience with Orebro HK before coming to North America in 2021, and hes since recorded 11 goals, 33 assists, 44 points, 58 PIMs, and a -4 rating in 185 games for the Kings and Flyers affiliates in Ontario and Lehigh Valley.

While Grans once projected as a solid puck-moving defender with good size, his point totals in the minors suggest hell be more of a stay-at-home option if he manages to lock down an everyday NHL role.

Hes struggled to make a significant impact on the scoresheet after a 24-point rookie season in 56 games with Ontario in 2021-22, posting just eight points (1 G, 7 A) in 56 games with Lehigh Valley last season.

Grans will debut on the right side of a pairing with Yegor Zamula , head coach John Tortorella said.

Dont expect them to log a ton of minutes, though, with Tortorella adding he plans to play the s--- out of [ Travis Sanheim ] and [ Rasmus Ristolainen ] as the Flyers look to win their fourth game in a row and push their record above .500 for the first time since their first game of the season (via Kevin Kurz of The Athletic ).

For Andrae, its a tough break for the 22-year-old.

Hes played well in fringe top-four minutes with Jamie Drysdale and Cameron York hitting injured reserve in recent weeks, posting three assists with a +1 rating in 10 appearances while averaging 18:27 per game.

The undersized 5-foot-9 blue-liner has gotten involved physically with 13 blocks and 15 hits, and his possession play has been quite good.

The Flyers have controlled 51.2% of shot attempts with Andrae on the ice at even strength compared to 42.2% without him.

Ersson, meanwhile, hits IR after re-aggravating a lower-body injury last week .

Hes not expected back until Saturdays game against the Blackhawks at the earliest, so Monday's move is purely for roster flexibility purposes and doesnt impact his timeline for a return.

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