Photo Credit: Our very own Jamey Baskow
Tyson Foerster has one goal in mind…to win a spot on the Flyers roster on opening night. Foerster remained in Voorhees, NJ for the Summer in preparation of the upcoming season. It doesn’t matter if he has a new number of 71, making the team does not change regardless of the number (Old number 52). His first order of business is to continue to rock rookie camp.
Maturity
At only 21-years-old, Tyson Foerster is starting to show maturity at such a young age on the ice. Tyson is a strong playmaker and has a shoot first mentality. Foerster is unlike most Flyers prospects with his unique goal scoring abilities, coupled with his good playmaking skills, “I feel like I still have to work. Work my tail off and try to earn myself a spot on this team,” Foerster said.
Check out our Flyers Nitty Gritty Store
Cool Matvei Michkov merchandise
Skating is not a problem
Tyson is coming off a great season, a season in which he impressed in his brief stint with the Flyers. What was most impressive about his success in the big show was his skating. He actually had longer strides and skated well coming down off the wing for the orange and black. It appears all his hard-work paid off with his skating, and he is working on obtaining quicker steps.
Foerster proved he can skate with the big boys in his brief eight game stint with the orange and black. He won’t mow players down in the fastest skating competition , but he is a smart skater. One of our podcasts had Foerster’s skating coach Paul Matheson on a show and he didn’t think his skating would be an issue, as he moved up the ranks in the sport.
“It’s not easy out there, that’s for sure,” Foerster said. “Everyone’s sick players and that’s why they’re there (In the NHL). Every Summer it’s all about everything. This Summer, I’ve been here for a month. just my legs and my leg strength and my quick steps, I feel like I’m getting better at that. I feel like everything is improving.”
Foerster gained experience
He is comfortable when he is in the face-off circle on the left side. Tyson feeds players extremely well and is always looking for where his target is. Foerster can bring qualities to the ice that the Flyers are lacking. He took advantage of playing in the AHL with uncertainty surrounding the OHL in 2020-21, and followed that up with a good season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in 2022-23. Tyson gained valuable professional experience, and tutelage from some veteran players like Cal O’Reilly and Garrett Wilson, whom he spoke of very highly of for helping him as he stated to us at Developmental Camp in 2021.
Lehigh Valley Phantoms Head Coach Ian Laperrière also alluded to the fact he got bigger last season. Tyson shoots right and mans the left side of power plays, and can easily understand what play is going to happen in the offensive zone. He is a double threat when it comes to odd man rushes, and he can move and pass the puck efficiently and score goals during these situations. Moreover, he has tallied 32 goals in 99 games played for his career as a Phantom, as Foerster just has a knack for the net.
Denver Barkey
The Flyers second pick in the third round was Denver Barkey. He’s a Center that plays in the OHL for the London Knights, and is a teammate of a Flyers first round selection in Oliver Bonk.
This kid can absolutely fly, and score some big goals in big moments. There’s lots of upside to this young man, and the Flyers can be patient with his development.
The London Knights are a renown hockey program in the OHL, so the Flyers can trust Barkey’s development. Barkey and barks his first Flyers rookie camp, to which this is nothing new for this young man. He’s very familiar with camps, so I expect him to put forth a good Flyers rookie camp.
“Denver Barkey is one of the favorites of our staff. He’s a little under-sized, but dynamic and offensive junior. High-speed. Lots of energy. He’s going to be a fan favorite wherever he plays,” said Assistant General Manager Brent Flahr following the draft.
One thing that cannot be understated about Barkey is energy. He brings energy and it fuses his teammates with such. Barkey is usually in the right spot to pot a big goal, or he makes the right play that eventually develops into a goal. Flyers fans look for him to impress throughout rookie camp.
