As the 2026-27 NHL season draws closer, the Philadelphia Flyers’ young roster is starting to come into focus, and two names stand out for what could be their first full year in the league: Denver Barkey and Alex Bump.
Both forwards arrived in the middle of last season and immediately found ways to matter. Barkey made his NHL debut in late December while Tyson Foerster was sidelined with an injury, then stayed with the club instead of heading back to the AHL. Bump got his opportunity after the NHL Trade Deadline, stepping into Bobby Brink’s roster spot.
That late-season stretch gave the Flyers useful minutes and real production from two players still learning on the fly. Bump’s role shrank once Foerster returned and he shifted into more of a rotating spot, but he still brought fresh legs when the Flyers needed them.
Barkey, meanwhile, turned into a bit of a utility weapon. He came up as a winger, though he played center in his draft year in the OHL, and that flexibility became valuable when the Flyers needed help down the middle.
The expectation now is simple: both should be in the mix for opening night. Barring something unexpected, they look like roster locks heading into training camp.
For Barkey, the path to a bigger season probably isn’t tied to flashy usage. With the Flyers carrying plenty of wingers, the bottom six looks like his most realistic landing spot, and unless a top-six winger gets moved, the fourth line seems like the likeliest home.
He did show chemistry with Matvei Michkov, but it’s not clear the Flyers will want to pair two undersized forwards together. If that doesn’t happen, Barkey could wind up with Sean Couturier and Noel Acciari.
That wouldn’t be a bad place to grow. Couturier finished last season strong, especially in the playoffs, and that kind of center support could help Barkey keep developing even in a limited role.
Last season, Barkey finished with 5 goals and 17 points in 43 regular-season games, a .395 point-per-game pace. Over a full season, 10 goals and 40 points feels reachable if he gets some power-play work and moves up when needed.
The bigger swing here is Bump.
The bold call is that he breaks out in 2026-27.
Bump was a late-round draft steal who surged in the NCAA, and his shot has been one of his calling cards from the start. That alone could put him in the conversation for power-play time next season. If Barkey and Michkov aren’t lined up together, Bump looks like the forward who could slide onto the third line with Noah Cates and Michkov, unless someone takes a job from Owen Tippett, Tyson Foerster, Travis Konecny, or Porter Martone.
That kind of setup makes sense for Bump. It would give the Flyers a look that feels a little like a new version of Foerster, Cates, and Brink: a strong-shooting left wing in Cates and an undersized scorer-playmaker on the right.
Bump’s numbers from last season already hint at what he can do. In 17 regular-season games, he scored 5 goals and totaled 9 points, a .529 point-per-game pace.
The idea here is straightforward: if he can hold something close to that over a full season, he has a chance to become a 20-goal, 40-plus-point player. Michkov’s presence could help by pulling attention away and opening space for Bump’s shot.
A full season will tell the story, but the ingredients are there for a strong leap from Bump and a solid step forward from Barkey.
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