Philadelphia Flyers forward Denver Barkey exited Monday’s preseason game against the Washington Capitals with a lower-body injury and did not return.
Barkey, 21, started the second period’s opening shift before skating off toward the Flyers’ dressing room. Philadelphia Inquirer beat reporter Jackie Spiegel reported that Barkey “looked uncomfortable” on the bench after that shortened shift, and had earlier “came up slow” after absorbing a hard hit from Capitals defenseman Martin Fehervary late in the first period.
The Flyers later announced in the third period that Barkey would not come back to the game, which Philadelphia lost 5-2.
A Flyers third-round pick at No. 95 overall in the 2023 NHL Draft, Barkey turned pro in the 2025-26 season and split that year between Philadelphia and the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The 5-foot-10 center/left wing posted five goals and 17 points in 43 NHL regular-season games, then added a goal and an assist in 10 playoff appearances. In Lehigh Valley, he put up seven goals and 16 points in 26 games.
Before reaching the pros, Barkey spent four seasons with the OHL’s London Knights, helping them capture two league championships and the 2025 Memorial Cup. The Newmarket, Ont. native finished his junior career with 89 goals and 258 points in 228 games, plus 27 goals and 73 points in 53 playoff contests.
Barkey is set to begin the second year of his entry-level contract in 2026-27. After earning a bigger role during the second half of the 2025-26 season and in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, he looks positioned to make the Flyers out of 2026 training camp, health permitting.
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