Denver Barkey and Oliver Bonk are playing some good playoff hockey in front of some of the Flyers top brass

Photo Credit: The London Knights

The London Knights are now 10-0 in the OHL playoffs, following a commanding 3-1 victory over Saginaw yesterday. They are just a buzz saw, and a few nights, who move which, our Flyers prospects are playing very well at the moment. Some of the Flyers top brass has been at the Knights playoff games throughout the course of the OHL playoffs, so yesterday was no different. I’m sure they’re scouting Barkey and Bonk, both of which have a shot to make the Flyers next fall, or go back to London for another season. However, I think they’re getting a pretty good look at some potential draft targets, to include the likes of Sam O’Reilly and Sam Dickinson.

It shows just how committed the Flyers top brass is to winning in the future with going to see two of their high-profile prospects within the Flyers system, and potential draft targets. It looks much better in person than on TV. Without further delay, now let’s circle back to Barkey and Bonk.

Denver Barkey

Denver Barkey is a ball of energy and just fun to be around.The sport of hockey is quite unique, it really brings people together. So much so, Barkey loves playing for the London Knights, mainly due to their proud fan base. Barkey finished the season with seven short-handed goals, which was tied for first in the OHL with fellow teammate Easton Cowan. He of course finished the season with 102 points (35g,65a).

It is a goal he set for himself, so this is quite an honor. This season Barkey became more of a dual threat, not only scoring wise, but his play away from the puck is far better than it has been in years past. He is what you call a complete player.

So what can Flyers fans expect from Barkey when he signs his Entry-Level-Contract (ELC) and plays for the Flyers, “Someone to show up to the rink everyday. A player that can play up and down the lineup,” Barkey said to Jamey Baskow in an exclusive interview a few months ago.

Barkey continued, “My parents are a huge inspiration. My grandpa also inspired me. Kind of see the Pro when he played in the NHL. That was one of his dreams (For his Grandpa to make the NHL).” Some don’t know that Barkey’s Grandpa played professional hockey. Randy Legge, Denver’s Grandpa, played for the New York Rangers, and wound up playing 12 games for the Rangers during his professional career. Legge was a right-handed defenseman, believe it or not, as he stood at 5’11. Of course, Barkey stands at 5’9, but he could fill out more as he is still only 18-years-old.

For his efforts, his success has trickled to the playoffs, in which he has netted three goals and 10 assists in 10 games played. He is excelling at both ends of the ice, and is playing like a p[layer determined to make the Flyers roster next season. How this ends is anyone’s guess, but Barkey is on fire.

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Oliver Bonk

Oliver Bonk, a Right-Handed defenseman was still on the board in the first round with the Flyers on the clock to pick and they selected him with the 22nd overall pick. Moments before this selection the Flyers selected a prospect Matvei Michkov with superstar/generational potential. The selection of Bonk received mixed reactions from the Flyers proud faithful, where some project Bonk as a project, however in the same token, other fans projected Bonk as a top four defenseman.

The Flyers finally have drafted a solid skating defenseman. They needed a solid skating defenseman, and this was one way to do it. There were weeks of speculation over who the Flyers would take with the 22nd pick, in particular. Bonk has a ton of skill that can stifle players at the Blue line, and lead the Flyers of the ice the other way. He is a good skating Defenseman, and these type of Defensemen don’t come along very often.

Bonk is an asset with the man advantage, and from the heavens maybe, just maybe, he can be an influential asset in this area when he makes his NHL Debut in Philadelphia in the future. He has really had a great playoffs, and has been even better with his gap control than in the regular season. Bonk currently has two goals and two assists in 10 games played in the playoffs, but he is a whopping +8. I mean it can;t get any better than that.

As mentioned previously, he is a solid skater, like most prospects he can improve upon this area, but he has a great pair of hands too. Bonk stands at 6’2, and weighs 176 pounds. He is a very confident and skilled puck handler, who effectively transitions the puck out of his zone and into his opponent’s zone. Bonk is an able bodied playmaker who excels at finding and creating passing lanes, mainly due to his edge work. Bonk plays a physical game, as he shuts down his opponents by taking the body, and board battling.