Philadelphia Flyers 2023 rookie camp winners and losers
The Philadelphia Flyers’ 2023 rookie camp has officially closed, and with it we have some winners and losers to declare in the aftermath. There were some good surprises, some bad surprises, and some players who were in between both. Either way, the Flyers’ rookies will now have to maintain their performances or step it up when the rest of the roster hits the ice on Thursday.
Loser: RW Tyson Foerster
Regrettably, Tyson Foerster was a clear loser after rookie camp, but it’s not the end of the world either. The future star makes the “Loser” list simply because he didn’t play his best, and he has more to give in Orange and Black.
GM Danny Briere isn’t worried, AGM Brent Flahr isn’t worried, and Lehigh Valley Phantoms head coach Ian Laperriere isn’t worried, so from a Flyers perspective, there’s no cause for concern. Inconsistencies frequently plague young players, and Foerster is no exception no matter the level of competition.
Given his draft status, skill level, and past production, the 21-year-old will be given the first, second, and third opportunities to make the Flyers’ roster this season. Foerster will certainly need to clean it up to stay in head coach John Tortorella’s good graces over the course of a season, but the panic meter is very low.
The Flyers won’t have much to play for, and they need to see what their prospects can do at the pinnacle of competitive hockey. Yes, Foerster needs to be better, but getting there eventually is what counts the most.
Winner: Adam Ginning
Get used to hearing his name, because Adam Ginning is ready to make some noise after some years in Flyers prospect obscurity. The behemoth defenseman made his NHL debut in the 2022-23 season and spent 68 games with the Phantoms, scoring three goals and 16 assists. Ginning doesn’t have the upside of say, an Emil Andrae, but he plays a simple game and the organization likes him as a potential shutdown defender.
Briere praised Ginning, Andrae, and Helge Grans for their performances over the weekend, but Ginning is the oldest of the bunch. The 23-year-old won’t be considered a prospect much longer, due to both his age and his likelihood of graduating to the big club.
Grans is still a bit of a project, but his development has been encouraging since the Los Angeles Kings were willing to part ways with him so early. He plays on the right side though, so he won’t affect Ginning in any way. Look for all three of these defensemen to hit NHL ice this season, but the 6-foot-4 Ginning seems to be the early frontrunner.
Loser: Bobby Brink
Like Foerster, Bobby Brink just didn’t have the juice during rookie camp. The 22-year-old wasn’t effective as a creator at even-strength, and did most of his good work with the man advantage. This is fine, because the Flyers fielded the worst power play in the NHL in 2022-23, but that just won’t be enough to earn a roster spot.
At the NHL level, the 5-foot-8 Brink is going to need to find ways to make up for his diminutive size, and he’s already not the best skater in the world. Special teams will of course be key, but Brink has to round his game out a bit and find some rhythm and consistency.
As far as the Flyers roster goes, the former Denver ace is in a three-horse race with Foerster and Wade Allison, and the fact that there’s a 67 percent chance of one of their top prospects making the NHL roster this year is encouraging enough.
Still, both the Flyers and Brink need to avoid complacency. ‘Good’ or ‘okay’ won’t be enough to pull a rebuilding team out of the mud by themselves.
Winner: Denver Barkey
Denver Barkey won’t be playing for the Flyers in the NHL this year, but he will soon. It’s still a complete mystery how he managed to fall to Philly at the bottom of the third round of the 2023 NHL Draft.
Barkey was drafted 95th overall back in July, and has already made his mark on the Flyers organization during rookie camp. The 18-year-old was flying around in the rookie games, and his performances called for some praise by the man who drafted him: Danny Briere. Like Briere, Barkey is a small, talented forward with some edge to his game. With the proper development, there could be some similar star power too.
At just 5-foot-9 and 174 pounds, Barkey has some growing to do, but his game is already at an advanced level. The young center is a highly competitive, sneaky skilled, and intelligent agitator that has a similar build, playing style, and junior production to Boston Bruins star and fellow third-round pick Brad Marchand. After scoring one point through his first 20 NHL games, Marchand went on to have four seasons with 80 or more points, including a 100-point 2018-19 season.
If Barkey can even become half of what Marchand has been offensively, the Flyers will have gotten a major steal. The London Knights star will spend more time in the OHL first, but keep an eye out for him in the meantime.
Winner: Zayde Wisdom
Out of all the Flyers prospects who needed a win in rookie camp, Zayde Wisdom needed one the most. And, needless to say, he got one in a big way.
After having strong 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, Wisdom fell off a cliff in 2022-23 and ended up spending six games with the Reading Royals of the ECHL. With the Phantoms, he managed only three goals and 10 points in an injury-marred 45 games.
During rookie camp though, the 21-year-old seemed to really take initiative on the ice and always made himself available on the breakout. Wisdom flew around every shift in each game, and even fought 6-foot-8 New York Rangers prospect Matt Rempe in what was an expectedly short but spirited bout. At 5-foot-11, Wisdom was at a considerable size disadvantage, but kudos for trying and showing some spirit.
Laperriere and Briere both singled out Wisdom for his strong performances over the weekend, and although he likely won’t play NHL minutes this season barring something unforeseen, the 2020 fourth-round pick is officially back on the map.
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Considering he just played in the ECHL and struggled with both production and injuries in the AHL, Wisdom is going to need some time to get back right and get some more seasoning. It goes without saying though, that the Flyers will take all the contributors they can get.