Denver Barkey praised his teammates and London after winning the Memorial Cup.
After leading the London Knights to the 2025 Memorial Cup championship, Captain Denver Barkey expressed heartfelt praise for his teammates and the city of London, Ontario. In post-game comments, Barkey described the victory as an unforgettable moment, emphasizing the team’s unity, “This is something I’ll never forget. We worked all year toward this, and this is the tightest team I’ve ever played on. To be able to do it with these guys, it’s so surreal.” He highlighted the collective effort that helped the Knights overcome the previous year’s devastating 4-3 loss to the Saginaw Spirit in the 2024 Memorial Cup final, noting their resilience and camaraderie as key to their 4-1 win over the Medicine Hat Tigers on June 1, 2025.
Barkey also reflected on the team’s perseverance through challenges, including his own recovery from an ankle injury sustained during the OHL playoffs. He credited the Knights’ organization and his teammates for their support, saying, “Everyone [with the Knights] swooped in to help me big-time. They put all their resources in front of me and it was up to me to take advantage of those. We worked together as a team.” He was particularly proud of how the team “Stuck together through some tough times and pushed their way back to the top,” underscoring their collective determination.
Regarding London, Ontario, Barkey’s actions and words demonstrate his deep appreciation for the city. Through his “Barkey’s Buds” program, he gave back to the community by donating over 1,500 pieces of hockey equipment to children with disabilities and providing more than 500 game tickets to local families. He spoke warmly of the city’s support, stating, “Ever since I came to London as a 16-year-old, the support and passion from the fans was something I noticed right away. Now being in my last year, to be able to start Barkey’s Buds and give back to the community that has treated me and my teammates so well was the least I could do,” Barkey said in an interview with the Knights. In a heartfelt post on X after the Memorial Cup victory, Barkey further expressed gratitude, suggesting his deep connection to the city and his teammates as he transitions to the professional level with the Flyers’ AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Barkey’s performance in the tournament—scoring two goals in the final and tying for the scoring lead with seven points in five games—reflected his leadership, but his praise focused on the team’s collective effort and the city’s unwavering support.
Now the Phantoms will get a good one, and I can bet that he will be in the City of Philadelphia training for the upcoming 2025-26 season in a month or so. That’s just who he is, a determined individual, that works hard and will not stop at reaching his ultimate goal of playing in the NHL.
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