When Philadelphia Flyers prospect Denver Barkey was asked who he likes to watch the most on the club, he didn’t hesitate to say Travis Konecny.

“He’s a rat,” Barkey said with a big grin. “I love it. He’s a smaller guy, a lot of skill, but he gets under the opposing team’s skin.”

Way to get the fanbase to love you, man.

The 19-year-old center might only be 5-foot-9, but he’s not letting the lack of vertical prominence prevent him from making an impact in the NHL. Barkey is coming off a 35-goal, 102-point season with the OHL’s London Knights, playing a significant part in helping the team win the OHL Championship with one of the most dominant runs in recent memory. He had 11 points in the final four games to sweep Oshawa and 27 points in 18 total postseason games, good for second in team scoring and fourth among all players.

The Knights ultimately lost the Memorial Cup final to Saginaw, but Barkey and Co. proved how dangerous they can be when everything is going right. And they’re expected to be a serious contender yet again this year.

“(The championship run) was probably the most fun I’ve ever had,” Barkey said. “The biggest thing for me was just how tight our group got. Every guy bought into their role, whether it was being a fourth-line guy, a third-line guy, or a first-line guy. Everyone was happy for each other. We had a great mix of characters and players, and it was a lot of fun.”

And if it all goes his way, Barkey will represent Canada for the first time in IIHF competition this winter. Barkey won gold at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and then played a big role at the World Junior Summer Showcase this past week, showing that he might be in the hunt to make the team when they head to Ottawa this year.

Barkey was a late cut from selection camp back in December for the 2024 event, but was notably one of the better players that was let go. But as a smaller, skilled player on a team that already had enough skill guys, there wasn’t a clear path to make the roster.

Still, the experience in Oakville was valuable to him.

“It’s a bit easier and more comfortable (coming to the Summer Showcase) and having more familiar faces around,” Barkey said. “It’s exciting to come back, and hopefully, I can earn my way onto this team and show them what I can do.”

One noticeable change in his game now compared to his draft year is how willing he is to land the body. While playing with Beckett Sennecke and Tij Iginla on Friday – two strong players themselves – Barkey was the one finishing the most checks and challenging anyone who got near his vicinity. In one instance, he landed a big hit on 6-foot-4, 198-pound Finnish defenseman Kalle Kangas, considered to be Finland’s toughest player.

“Just being a smaller guy, you’re on a shorter leash,” Barkey said. “You can’t really take shifts off. There are a lot of talented players on this team, and you might have to compete for a -line or bottom-six role. So you’ve got to be physical, you’ve got to play hard, you’ve got to compete, and you’ve got be someone that’s really hard to play against on every shift.”

When you mix speed, skill, and tenacity, you get a player who brings a lot to the table. And there’s no question he will eclipse his OHL output this year in his final year of junior hockey before going pro in 2025-26. In a way, Barkey might be one of the most underrated prospects in the Flyers’ system. Matvei Michkov is the obvious star in the system, but Barkey could give the team a high-end middle-six forward option if he can overcome some physical challenges.

But being aggressive and winning physical battles against junior-aged players is one thing. Doing that in the NHL, when everyone is much stronger, faster and more skilled, will be a totally different beast. But many people seriously believe that Barkey will be one of the players at his height that makes a difference in the NHL one day.

“He’s got that will to win, that energy you want to see from anyone,” one scout said. “And if you’re not going to be big, you need to make yourself indispensable. I think he does that quite nicely.”

It could be a huge season for Barkey, who has a realistic chance at winning a league title and World Junior Championship gold. He’s a skilled player who leaves everything on the ice and always has a smile off it. And in due time, Flyers will fall in love with the way he plays because he truly fits the style the fans want. Gritty, skilled and bringing energy every single shift is what he does best.