The Flyers have most of their opening-night forward group lined up, but one spot still feels up for grabs. The fourth line is the lone unsettled piece, with Sean Couturier and Noel Acciari appearing to be locked into two of those three jobs while Denver Barkey and Nikita Grebenkin battle for the last opening.
It’s a real crossroads for Philadelphia because both young forwards offer something useful, just in different ways. Barkey seems to be pushing toward the roster spot and has a strong case to stay with the NHL club after showing last season that he could handle NHL minutes when he was called up. Still, the fourth line isn’t necessarily the cleanest fit for his development if he’s only going to get limited ice time.
At 21, Barkey still needs reps. That’s the complication. If his role is going to be reduced to a few shifts a night, there’s a fair argument that he’d be better served in the American Hockey League, where he could play top-line minutes and build his game with much more responsibility before coming back up when the timing is right.
Grebenkin, on the other hand, looks like a more natural match for that fourth-line assignment right now. His size, physical edge and willingness to get involved could fit neatly next to Couturier and Acciari. If the Flyers want a bottom line that can bring energy and make life annoying for opponents, Grebenkin checks a lot of boxes.
That still doesn’t mean Barkey should be pushed aside without a look. If he’s good enough to make the team, the Flyers should give him the chance to prove it. One straightforward way to sort it out would be to keep both players around for the first few games and let the ice time tell the story.
A trial run over the first three to five games could work for both sides. Barkey would get a chance to show he can hold up in NHL minutes, while Grebenkin would have the opportunity to show why his game fits that role so well.
If Barkey doesn’t click, Philadelphia can send him to the AHL and let him play bigger minutes there. At his age, that wouldn’t be a setback so much as a better development path. Being one of the more productive players in the AHL could help him more than sitting on the fourth line and barely touching the puck.
If Barkey does look comfortable, then the Flyers can keep him. Grebenkin could slide into the 13th-forward role and jump into the lineup when Philadelphia wants more size and physicality. There could even be chances to pair him with his longtime friend Matvei Michkov, which would be an intriguing wrinkle if it happens.
So yes, Barkey may still be the favorite to win the job. But the bigger issue for the Flyers is making the right long-term call, not just rewarding a strong camp with a fourth-line seat. Giving Barkey and Grebenkin a chance early on might be the cleanest way to settle it.
In Other News...
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The bigger question, though, is how all of that scoring talent fits with the rest of the picture, especially in a league where stability in net and true top-end finishing can swing a season. Joseph Woll is part of that conversation as a possible solution behind the crease, while Tyson Foerster has also been mentioned as a player who could take another jump. The Flyers have spent enough time trying to climb back into the mix that the next test is no longer just getting there, but finding out whether the pieces around their young core can actually hold up once they do. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Opening Night Roster Reveals A Few Surprising Lineup Clues
The Flyers settled their 23-man opening night roster for the 2026-27 season, and the shape of it offered a few early clues about how they plan to open the year. The group breaks down to 14 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders, with Garrett Wilson among the names on the list and a defense corps that now includes newcomers David Jiricek and Simon Benoit.
The most immediate development is in net, where Dan Vladar and Joseph Woll are slated to form the opening-night tandem. That pairing gives Philadelphia a clear answer at the position for now, while the rest of the roster suggests the team is already leaning on some new pieces as it heads into the season. [Read more 🡒]