The Philadelphia Flyers are holding their annual Development Camp in Voorhees this week, giving fans a chance to see some top prospects for the Orange and Black show off their skills up close and personal.
We’ve already gotten our first look at Porter Martone on the ice with the Flyers, but a few prospects are absent from the on-ice portion of camp due to injury.
One of those players is 2023 third-round pick Denver Barkey. Barkey suffered a high ankle sprain in the OHL playoffs, missed a few games, but returned to help the London Knights win not only the OHL Championship but the Memorial Cup as well.
While Barkey has been told that he won’t be participating in on-ice activities this week, it’s not stopping him from trying.
It must be particularly frustrating for Barkey, who also missed Rookie Camp and Training Camp last year as he recovered from mononucleosis.
The 95th overall pick from 2023 has risen up the Flyers’ prospect ranks in recent years thanks to his high compete level on a great London team. After putting up nearly a point per game (59 points in 61 games) in the season leading up to the 2023 draft, Barkey has really broken out in the last two years with a total of 184 points (60 goals, 124 assists) in 114 regular-season games and 47 points (15 goals, 26 assists) in 28 playoff games.
Barkey captained the Knights this past season despite London having a few more highly-touted prospects, including Oliver Bonk, which shows just how much he means to his team. He played a key role in the Memorial Cup, recording a point in all five games with a total of seven points in the tournament.
Even though he stands at just 5’10”, you wouldn’t be able to tell that from the way Barkey plays the game. He gives his all every single shift and isn’t afraid to throw the body or get into the dirty areas.
And he has the skill to go with it.
Barkey will be turning pro this year, whether it’s with the Flyers or more likely the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at the AHL level. But don’t be surprised if Barkey does everything he can to make it as difficult a decision as possible for Danny Briere to keep the smaller winger off the Flyers roster. There will be a handful of prospects looking to compete for a roster spot come the fall.