Elliot Desnoyers, Emil Andrae return to Allentown ‘hungry’ to prove they are ready for their next step with the Flyers

Skating alongside Matvei Michkov and Jett Luchanko in the Flyers’ first game of rookie camp, Elliot Desnoyers knows his role.

“I think for me, [I’m] going to have the role to be like a dog on a bone, chasing to go grab that puck for these guys to make the plays,” Desnoyers said. “I think we’ll be a fast line. So the forecheck is going to be really important.”

Although Michkov, Luchanko, and fellow first-rounder Oliver Bonk will primarily have the focus of the faithful who fill the PPL Center in Allentown, Desnoyers is one of a handful of guys suiting up Friday who plied their trade with Lehigh Valley.

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For Desnoyers, a fifth-round pick of the Flyers in 2020, the friendly confines of the PPL Center should help spark his game after a 2023-24 season that saw a considerable dip in his play. The left wing, who will be complementing the high-flying pair on the top line, potted 44 points (23 goals, 21 assists) in his first full pro season two years ago. Last season, his points were halved (six goals, 16 assists).

The 22-year-old Quebec native is now focused on the future but keeps the past as a reminder.

“Yeah, sometimes you need those types of seasons to realize some stuff,” Desnoyers said. “I’ve been working on it all summer. I’m just truly excited to get things going here.”

Emil Andrae is hungry — and it’s not for a cheesesteak ... although if he gets what he wants, he could have easy access.

“I’m pretty hungry,” he said about making the NHL roster out of camp again. “I probably have the same mentality as I had last year when I came in here. Now I feel like I know a lot more than what I did when I came here last year. [I have] more experience, and I did a lot of good things last year, and, hopefully, I can build on.”

The 5-foot-9 defenseman, who skated alongside the 6-foot-4 Spencer Gill on Friday, is looking to make the case to stick this season. He played in four games in 2023-24 with the Flyers before being sent down.

Andrae had good moments and a few bad last season and notched five goals and 32 points in 61 AHL games. Three of his goals came on the power play. He worked with a new trainer over the summer, and Phantoms coach Ian Laperrière took notice on the first day of rookie camp.

“I grabbed him after practice, and I asked him, and he’s like, ‘Yeah, I changed my training program.’ But for me, it’s maturity,” Laperrière said “It’s easy, like, yeah, he had a good year last year [and] it’s easy to go home and say, ‘I’ll figure it out. You know, next step, I’ll go to the NHL.’ But usually, those guys don’t make it. But Andy went back home and worked on his weakness, which was his quickness a little bit.”

Speaking with The Inquirer during the Phantoms’ playoff run, Andrae specifically mentioned his need to focus on his speed and explosiveness to take the next step. He worked hard off the ice this summer and now hopes it will translate onto the ice.

» READ MORE: Flyers top 10 prospects: Matvei Michkov is No. 1, but where does Jett Luchanko land?

“I have to be more consistent,” he said. “I feel like I had a lot of ups and downs during the year, especially in the beginning. But then during the season, I learned a lot, and I feel like I had a little different mentality at the end, especially at the end of the season, and especially in the playoffs.

“I feel I have to keep doing that from the beginning this year, not see every game as I have to be the best every game; be a little bit more solid during the whole year. Kind of try to be not too low, not too high, because that kind of brings a lot of energy for me, so I have to keep my energy to be good in all of the games.”

Flyers fans will get a chance to see Massimo Rizzo, who has not played since signing an entry-level deal this past spring. He will center Samu Tuomaala and Josh Zakreski, who is on an amateur tryout and played last season with defenseman Carter Sotheran in Portland. ... Sotheran, who is not in the lineup after revealing on Thursday he is dealing with a preexisting heart issue, was on the ice for morning skate.