Photo Credit: Natalie Shaver / OHL Images
March 2, 2024 | By: Dylan H. Robillard
The Philadelphia Flyers announced on Sunday that 2023 third-round draft pick Denver Barkey put pen to paper over the weekend signing a three-year, $913,000 entry-level contract — beginning in 2024-25, according to General Manager Daniel Briere.
Max Miller of The Hockey News reported that the 18-year-old center had signed his entry-level contract after sources said the London Knights accidentally announced the news on their Twitter/X before quickly deleting the post. Flyers GM Danny Briere and the organization made it official the following day, March 3, 2024.
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY: Denver Barkey #52 of Philadelphia Flyers skates against the New Jersey Devils at a preseason game at the Prudential Center on September 25, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Barkey is currently playing in the Ontario Hockey League for the London Knights. The 95th overall draft pick is having a career year with 31 goals, 56 assists and 87 points with a +43 plus-minus in 56 games, leading the Knights in all four categories. He is on pace for a 99-point season, with a significant increase in production over the last two campaigns. In the OHL, he is among top five in scoring averaging just over a point-and-a-half per game in 2023-2024.
The diminutive Barkey (5’9”, 155 lb) Maple, Ontario native was drafted by the Flyers eight months ago in Nashville, Tennessee. He had nothing but good things to say about the organization and couldn’t wait to sign on the dotted line.
“It’s a childhood dream of mine,” Barkey told the media at the 2023 NHL Draft. “Super surreal feeling, almost a loss for words, but excited and honoured to be drafted by Philadelphia.”
Barkey has played at more than a point-per-game pace since December, earning himself an ELC with the orange and black. Through three seasons in the OHL, including his draft year, Barkey has 60 goals, 101 assists and 161 points in 170 games with a 0.95 point per game and a +50 plus-minus.
Entry-Level Contract & Timetable:
Barkey signing his ELC, or any player for that matter, does not mean they will immediately make the jump to the NHL (unless your name is Connor Bedard). It is more of a paper transition to get prospects under contract. Typically, the sooner a team does it, the more potential they see in the player.
Barkey, at 18, does not meet the age requirements to play in the AHL, sitting at least two years away. If the Flyers wanted to get a glimpse of what he could bring to the table without burning a year of his new contract, he is eligible to play in nine NHL games after this season with his contract starting in 2024-25, more or less of a tryout. Or he could end up becoming a full-time roster player. The latter option seems unlikely at this time, as he needs more seasoning in the OHL and AHL.
The highly touted prospect joins London Knights’ teammate and defenseman Oliver Bonk (first-round, 22nd overall) and WHL Brandon Wheat Kings’ goaltender Carson Bjarnason (second-round, 51st overall) as the only three from the Flyers’ 2023 draft class to have signed their entry-level contracts so far.
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