Flyers to Sign Prospect Denver Barkey; What it Means

On Saturday afternoon, the London Knights of the OHL posted a tweet announcing that Philadelphia Flyers prospect Denver Barkey had officially become a Flyers player. The tweet was quickly deleted, but reports have since surfaced that the Flyers are indeed expected to sign Barkey in the coming days.

So, the Knights’ social media team either had the wrong information or jumped the gun on the announcement, which could have even been scheduled incorrectly.

It’s worth noting that teammate and fellow Flyers prospect Oliver Bonk has already signed an entry-level contract with the club, and the same goes for Brandon Wheat Kings goalie Carson Bjarnason. Barkey is the only one of the Flyers’ draft picks from the first three rounds of the 2023 NHL Draft, excluding Matvei Michkov and Yegor Zavragin, to not have signed an entry-level contract.

It’s worth noting that Max McCue, another London Knights player, just signed his entry-level contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday.

What does this mean for Barkey and the Flyers? If and when Barkey signs his ELC with the Flyers, it will immediately open up the possibility for the 18-year-old to get some action in pro games – likely with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

For example, last season, Seattle Kraken prospect Shane Wright and his Windsor Spitfires were eliminated by the Kitchener Rangers in the OHL playoffs on April 6, and Wright joined up with the Coachella Valley Firebirds on April 12. Wright played in eight games for Coachella Valley, scoring four goals and two assists.

Although unlikely, it’s worth noting that there is a possibility Barkey plays his first games as a member of the Flyers. The Flyers play seven games in April, and close their regular season with games against the New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils, and Washington Capitals on the 11th, 13th, and 16th, respectively.

For Barkey to play in these games, the Flyers would either have to fall out of playoff contention or be locked in their playoff spot for that to become a possibility. First, the Knights forward must officially sign his contract.