Nope, that title is not a typo. We are not talking about Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley or former Sixers star and NBA Hall of Famer, Charles Barkley. We are talking about 2023 third-round pick Denver Barkley. The London Knights star forward has shined in the OHL and is quickly becoming someone talked about in hockey circles.
It's no secret that the Flyers had some awful draft classes. The 2016 draft was a disaster, with former Flyers' netminder Carter Hart being the only player to have made an impact in the NHL. The 2017 draft hasn't been much better with Morgan Frost continuing to struggle and Noah Cates being the best of that year's selections. You can thank former Flyers GM Ron Hextall for those picks.
In contrast, Daniel Briere has seemingly hit the jackpot in his first draft in 2023. Matvei Michkov has been stellar so far this year and is in serious talks as the Calder Trophy winner. Oliver Bonk, the second first-round pick taken, is a rising defensive prospect. However, Barkey seems to be the next young star to arrive.
Barkey is a Rising Young Star in Flyers' Pipeline
He is still just 19 years old. He may be a bit undersized at 5'10" and 157 lbs. Barkey does use his size to his advantage. He is swift, elusive and races down the ice, seemingly scoring at will. Last season, he lit up the OHL, scoring 35 goals with 67 assists to lead the London Knights. Bonk, his teammate, scored 24 goals with 43 assists. He finished fifth in the OHL points standings behind OHL leader David Goyette's 117.
This year, Barkey has started strong. He was named captain of the Knights to start the season. In 23 games thus far, he has five goals with 23 assists. While his goal production is down, his 31 points are good for second on the team.
So When Can We Expect to See Barkey?
Elite Prospects rates Barkey as the top Flyers prospect. He is someone that this team does not want to rush. However, I think he will arrive sooner rather than later.
If I had to guess, I could see him making an appearance or two at the tail end of this season just for the Flyers to get a taste of what he can offer. Most likely, he will need a bit of seasoning at the AHL level, although I can see him getting an extended look during training camp next year. His continued rise also could make players, like Frost, a little easier to part with.
To be fair, because he won't turn 20 until April, I think the first real exposure we'll have of him will probably be in the 2026-27 season. He'll have turned 21 and I think he would be ready for an assault on the goaltenders in the NHL. I could even see him centering a line of Michkov and Jett Luchanko. The combined speeds of the three forwards would be a lot for opposing defenses to have to contend with.