In his first full NHL season, Denver Barkey didn’t just arrive, he adjusted to the pace faster than anyone could have reasonably expected. Called up in mid-December after Tyson Foerster went down with an injury, Barkey was one of the first players given a chance to replace him, and he immediately made his mark. In his very first game with the Flyers, the kid registered two assists in a close loss to the Rangers. From that moment, Barkey just looked like he belonged in the big leagues.
That Rookie Season Was No Fluke
Across 43 NHL games, Barkey put up 5 goals and 12 assists for 17 points. Now, those aren’t groundbreaking numbers, we get it. But consider this: Barkey is an extremely undersized winger who wasn’t even getting top-6 minutes. For a “first taste” of the NHL, that’s really, really good. On many nights, Barkey looked like the most involved Flyer on the ice, making you think there’s something special brewing. His all-around game translated to the NHL better than most could imagine. Just like he did for the London Knights and the Phantoms, Barkey routinely won races to the puck he shouldn’t have, he won battles against big players he had no business winning, and he found himself with the puck in dangerous areas time and again. Barkey, more than anything, proved he’s a potentially key contributor for this organization moving forward. No doubt about it.
Center Experiment? We’re Here For It
So, what’s next for this kid? With Owen Tippett, Tyson Foerster, Matvei Michkov, and Travis Konecny all healthy, the easiest spot to pencil Barkey in is a third-line wing role. But get this: Barkey’s been slotted at center in the early days of training camp, often skating with Michkov! The Barkey-Michkov pairing actually worked at times last year, so it’s not totally surprising to see Coach Rick Tocchet go back to that combo. Having said that, it would be pretty shocking to see Barkey stay down the middle for significant time this season. He might get a few games there, sure, but it feels more likely he’ll stay on the wing. Still, the fact that Tocchet is even trying it? Huge. We’re expecting Barkey to build on his rookie year and keep playing that same style. Last season, he was already strong on his feet, exceptional in one-on-one battles, and a total pest. With his first full NHL offseason training already under his belt, you just know Barkey’s going to be even better in those situations this year.
Barkey played at nearly a .4 points per game pace in 2025-26. If that improves this season, you might…
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Broad Street Hockey.
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