Welcome to the Philadelphia Flyers Top 25 Under 25 ranking, Winter 2026 edition. Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll be putting out our ranking of the, well, top 25 players in the Flyers organization who are under 25 years old. A total of 13 writers at Broad Street Hockey submitted ballots and here is the consensus ranking.
This is really where the ranking picks up. In this batch are the clear-cut young NHLers who aren’t the most exciting players — either for reaching their ceiling very soon, or are projected to be just very excellent role players — but we cannot deny that they have made it to the big leagues. Therefore, earning a spot deep in the top 10.
7) Bobby Brink
Primary Team: Philadelphia Flyers, NHL
2025-26 Stats: 13 G, 24 P in 50 GP
Rank in Summer 25 Under 25: 9
Age: 24
Acquired: 2nd-round pick (34th overall) in 2019 NHL Draft
Jake (Ranked #7): Bobby Brink has been a solid mainstay in the Flyers’ lineup over the last couple years. When he was drafted, the questions that surrounded him were whether his small 5-foot-8 frame could survive at the NHL level. He has more than done that; he has established himself as a solid third-line checking winger who drives play and can score at a decent level. This season has been a weird one for Brink, who missed a few games during January, and in the absence of Tyson Foerster, his play has begun to slide a bit. I think the main driving force of that Noah Cates line was Foerster, and in his absence this season, both Brink and Cates have struggled to find chemistry with other guys in the lineup. Brink has been getting a good amount of power-play time this season, which has helped increase his stat line, but his scoring numbers are down this year compared to last – especially at 5-on-5. I think Brink is a solid player, whose energy can help any line he is on; however, with the emergence of Denver Barkey – and the Flyers’ influx of wingers – I do think Brink’s long-term role on the team is in question.
Jason M: (Ranked #9): Have all the time in the world for a small guy who has managed to make his mark on a team simply by working his ass off shift in and shift out. Brink has probably realized he’s not going to be a 40-goal scorer. Yet if he can be a middle-six to bottom-six winger who can eventually hit the 20-goal mark, that’s never a bad thing. Brink got clocked in a game against Anaheim and took some time to recover. As well, the injury to Tyson Foerster put any plans for a reunion of that line with Noah Cates, Foerster, and Brink to a close. At least for this year. Brink might find himself the odd man out this offseason, particularly if Porter Martone is ready to go next season and Foerster returns from injury healthy. It’s a guy I’d hate to see go, but unless he turns into a dynamic center, it might be an option to see if Brink (about to enter contract negotiations as a restricted free agent) can be part of a trade package to get a key piece.
Joe (Ranked #9): We love Bobby Brink: he is a clear-cut NHL player, and any team would love to have him in their middle six and on their second power play unit. Brink remodeled his game into a checking forward under John Tortorella, and his skating has improved to the point that he’s legitimately good. Jake is right, however: his fit with the Flyers long term is difficult to see. Barkey’s emergence as a younger forward in the vein of Brink is one part of it, but the sheer number of wingers in the pipeline who have to play in the top nine to be effective NHLers also complicates matters; add in Michkov and Konecny ahead of Brink on the depth chart, and Brink’s arbitration-eligible RFA status this summer, and a future with the Flyers feels unlikely. Like Jason, I’d be sad to see him go, but that is the nature of the beast.
6) Denver Barkey
Primary Team: Philadelphia Flyers, NHL
2025-26 Stats: 2 G, 9 P in 22 GP
Rank in Summer 25 Under 25: 13
Age: 20
Acquired: 3rd-round pick (95th overall) in 2023 NHL Draft
Jake (Ranked #5): One of my favorite prospects while he was playing in the OHL for the London Knights, Denver Barkey’s emergence this season hasn’t shocked me in the slightest. His tenacity without the puck and his high hockey IQ with the puck are a perfect combination that the Flyers staff loves. His size – like Brink’s – was always a concern, but if you watch him play, he plays much bigger than his 5-foot-10 frame. His compete level is incredibly high, and for a 20-year-old, he is only going to pack on more muscle as he continues to develop. I think Barkey could be Flyers fans’ new favorite guy to root for over the next few years – if he isn’t already. He’s a great kid with a boisterous personality, and his personality has fit in the room. It’s exciting for the Flyers, as well, to have gotten an NHL regular in the third round of the 2023 NHL Draft. The hope is that Barkey will only continue to grow as a player, and at only 20 years old, in his first year in pro hockey, the possibilities for him are endless.
Jason M: (Ranked #8): I thought Barkey would be a nice one-game or two-game call up before the Christmas break. Then before the West Coast swing after Christmas was done, he would be back in Lehigh Valley developing in the American Hockey League. I was wrong. It looks very wrong. Barkey hit the ground running with the Flyers, making Sean Couturier look not quite as old as he did at times this year. The forward has earned the respect of Rick Tocchet and the coaching staff. And he’s rarely caught up ice or the reason for an odd-man rush by the opposition. The young’un is still going to have some growing pains the rest of the season, and might not quite hit the scoresheet as much as he or the team would like. However, Barkey has been one of the bright spots this season. He looks like he’s going to be a part of the future in Philadelphia, and that’s a good thing.
Joe (Ranked #6): Boy do I love Denver Barkey. A third-round pick in Danny Briere’s first draft as general manager, he may end up being a steal–and a nice proof of concept that players with high-end hockey smarts in juniors can translate into effective, impactful NHL players given the time to physically mature. The scoring hasn’t quite popped as a pro yet (about half-a-point per game), but his 59.74 xGF% per Natural Stat Trick leads all Flyers skaters. The points will come, but he certainly won’t be in the Calder conversation at the conclusion of the season. Long term, he looks like a middle six lock with enough versatility to play multiple roles.
5) Jamie Drysdale
Primary Team: Philadelphia Flyers, NHL
2025-26 Stats: 5 G, 23 P in 53 GP
Rank in Summer 25 Under 25: 7
Age: 23
Acquired: Trade with Anaheim Ducks (Jan. 2024)
Jake (Ranked #6): Jamie Drysdale has had a tumultuous NHL career so far. After being forced into the NHL at 18 years old on a horrible Anaheim Ducks team, his development was stunted. Then the injuries came and held his development back even more. The former sixth overall pick was a reclamation project when the trade for him and a second-round pick in exchange for the infamous Cutter Gauthier. Since coming over to the Flyers, Drysdale has established himself as a quality second-pair defenseman. This season inparticular, he has looked much more comfortable playing defense – especially along the boards – and his offense is beginning to come around. If Drysdale can become a 40-point, solid second-line defenseman who can quarterback a power play, it would be an ideal scenario for the Flyers. At only 23 years old, Drysdale has plenty of room to continue to grow his game. He’s pretty much had to learn to play hockey a completely different way since coming over from Anaheim, and in the 2 and a half seasons he’s spent with the Flyers, he’s looked like a completely different player. Drysdale will need to continue staying healthy, but he is looking like a very important piece of this rebuild that the Flyers are currently in.
Jason M. (Ranked #6): The biggest victory Jamie Drysdale had last year with Philadelphia was that he avoided any career-threatening injuries to his arms or shoulders. He was capable of playing close to 82 games. The comparisons to the guy he was traded for are sadly going to be with him as long as he is with the Flyers. It’s unfair but it happens. What Drysdale has done this year is put a foot forward in his development. He has been done major inroads regarding the defensive side of the game, currently at a -6 on the plus/minus chart compared to being a rather god-awful -32 last season. Of course having a goalie stopping pucks tends to help that statistic. But he has established himself as a #4 or, with more time, possibly the lead guy on a middle pair. Playing with Emil Andrae seemed to fuel him somewhat. And having a blueliner like Egor Zamula out of the picture completely has helped him also regarding the depth chart. Drysdale could set career highs in goals and points as he has five and 23, respectively. He’s been another good storyline this season, regardless of how the last 26 games play out.
Joe (Ranked #5): I have been a Dryguy for a long time and, despite some bumps, he continues to impress. The Flyers acknowledged when they acquired Drysdale that he was going to be a project, and they were right: those first few months with the Flyers were rough, and the start of the 2024-25 season wasn’t much better. Ever since Drysdale missed a month with injury, though, he’s done nothing but slowly and steadily improve. Now, he’s much more defensively sound, and second in points from defensemen on the Flyers this season. I’m not sure the power play production will ever truly come around, but he did score a goal on the man advantage just before the break–maybe it’s starting to click. It’ll be fascinating to see how contract negotiations go this summer, as he’s another arbitration-eligible RFA, but he can play on my team’s second pair any day.
