Denver Barkey is all smiles as he talks about having his Lehigh Valley Phantoms teammates-Oliver Bonk, Carson Bjarnason, and Hunter McDonald-join him for practice during the NHL’s Olympic break.
Reflecting on the recall of his teammates, Barkey shared, “It’s been great. When I found out they were coming up, I was pretty pumped.
Some younger guys, and familiar faces around. It’s been nice to have them here, we went out to dinner last night.”
Already spending time with the Flyers, Barkey found comfort and camaraderie as he skated alongside these familiar faces from the AHL affiliate. Their off-ice dinner outing added to the sense of reunion and team spirit.
This break served as an ideal development window: giving these prospects a taste of NHL-speed play while allowing the team to evaluate them closely. As the break concluded, Bonk, McDonald, and Bjarnason returned to the Phantoms, but not without leaving an impression.
The bond among these young players is evident-Barkey truly appreciated having his teammates by his side.