When it was confirmed that Tyson Foerster’s recovery from arm surgery would rule him out for the rest of the season, it dealt a massive blow to the Flyers’ forward depth. Not only had Foerster continued to be one of the best and most consistent two-way forwards on the team, but he was seemingly in the process of taking the next step offensively. Foerster’s pre-injury total of 10 goals remains tied for second on the team with Travis Konecny, even in his absence.
For a team that struggles to create consistent offensive chances in general, nevermind finishing the ones they do manufacture, it represents a worst-case scenario type of absence. Not to mention that Foerster has played a major role both on the penalty kill, as well as the fledgling power play.
As the team has continued to remain in the playoff conversation, sights have understandably shifted, and at this stage, most in the organization would likely be unsatisfied if they cannot at least compete for a playoff berth until the bitter end. And with Foerster out of commission, the need to find offense from unlikely sources became even more magnified.
Flyers made perfect call to give Barkey a chance
The idea of just promoting someone like Nic Deslauriers to full-time duty was too unambitious to work for long stretches of time, so it was time for another youngster from Lehigh Valley to join the fray. The Flyers have shown this season that they trust just about anyone who is playing well with the Phantoms to make the jump, and this time around was no exception, and Denver Barkey was selected to make his NHL debut.
Barkey was fourth on the Phantoms in scoring at the time of his promotion, with seven goals and 16 points through the first 26 AHL games of his career. Normally, that type of production would put him in contention for an NHL spot regardless of injuries, but with it being Barkey’s first pro year, there was an overwhelming assumption that he was going to be left down in the AHL for a full season to marinate. After all, there is no real need to rush up a third round pick, especially one with as slight of a frame as the listed 5 ’10, 172 pound Barkey.
But the Flyers trusted their developmental pipeline, and the new coaching staff in Lehigh Valley once again, and they seem to have made the right call. In his first ever NHL game, Barkey had a pair of assists within the span of 23 seconds to notch his first two NHL points, and looked like a 10-year veteran throughout the night. Smart passes, great support play in the offensive zone as a winger, and the ability to play with pace were all present, and that led to Barkey getting another shot in the lineup against the Canucks two days later.
The former London Knight fell in the draft largely due to issues surrounding his size, but the skill was never in question, and he showed every bit of it in his debut.
Injuries aren’t ideal, but they aren’t fully preventable, either, and it is on an organization to be able to adapt and replace the pieces they lose, whether it be through internal or external means. The Flyers have shown a willingness to dig deep into their prospect pool in order to find replacements, regardless of age, and it has resulted in some really sound performances from unlikely sources. Like Murchison before him, and maybe even moreso, Denver Barkey seems like he will continue to make it increasingly harder to take him out of the lineup. Whether or not he stays, it’s still another encouraging sign of improvement from the Flyers’ developmental structure.
The future is what matters most, and if the Phantoms can become a productive landing zone for the litany of Flyers’ prospects set to make their pro debuts in the coming seasons, the Flyers should be able to take the next step as an organization. Teams like Tampa Bay and Washington have heavily relied on their farm systems to create a steady pipeline of NHL-ready talent, and have reaped the benefits. The Flyers should hope to follow in their leads, and they look on the way.
