Филадельфия Флайерс багийн залуу тоглогч Денвер Барки бэлтгэлийн тоглолтын үеэр төвийн довтлогчийн үүрэг гүйцэтгэж, үндсэн бүрэлдэхүүнд багтах боломжоо нэмэгдүүлж байна.
Филадельфия Флайерс багийн бэлтгэлийн үеэр төвийн довтлогчийн байрлалд өрсөлдөх тоглогчдын асуудал анхаарлын төвд байна. Тус багт нийт зургаан төвийн довтлогч дөрвөн байрлалын төлөө өрсөлдөж байгаа бөгөөд 21 настай Денвер Барки өөрийн олон талт чадвараа харуулж, энэ байрлалд тогтвортой тоглохыг зорьж байгаагаа илэрхийлэв. Өнгөрсөн улиралд ихэвчлэн жигүүрт тоглож байсан тэрээр бямба гарагт болсон бэлтгэлийн тоглолтод Алекс Бамп болон Матвей Мичков нарын дунд төвийн довтлогчоор тоглож, хоёр гоолыг эсрэг багийн хаалганд оруулжээ.
Дасгалжуулагч Рик Токкет залуу тоглогчийн хамгаалалтын бүс дэх хариуцлагатай тоглолт болон тоглолтыг унших чадварыг өндрөөр үнэлж байгаа юм. Түүнчлэн Барки тооны давуу байдлын үеийн эхний бүрэлдэхүүнд багтаж, Тревор Зеграс, Матвей Мичков, Жэйми Драйсдэйл, Оуэн Типпет нартай хамт бэлтгэл хийжээ. Өнгөрсөн улиралд тэрээр 43 тоглолтод оролцохдоо 69:16 минут тооны давуу байдлын үед талбайд гарсан үзүүлэлттэй байсан бөгөөд энэ жил илүү өргөн үүрэг хүлээх төлөвтэй байна.
Ерөнхий менежер Дэнни Бриер болон дасгалжуулагчдын зөвлөл залуу тоглогчдын өсөлт дэвшилтэд тулгуурлан шинэ улирлыг эхлүүлэхээр төлөвлөж байна. Баркигийн хувьд өөрийн тоглолтын IQ болон талбайг харах чадвараа ашиглан NHL-ийн түвшинд төвийн довтлогчийн байрлалд өөрийгөө батлан харуулах нь түүний гол зорилго болоод байна.
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Through the early days of training camp, the Philadelphia Flyers are quietly working to decide how the center depth will shake out as the beginning of the regular season approaches.
This is less a question of which players make the NHL roster after final cuts, and more about who plays where.
As far as the first few days of training camp are concerned, there are a few obvious players who will be sticking at center, and a few wildcards who muddy the picture a bit.
During Saturday’s scrimmage, Trevor Zegras and Sean Couturier reprised their roles as the first- and fourth-line centers with Zegras playing with Owen Tippett and a rotation of Zach Aston-Reese and Jack Studnicka and Couturier playing with Noel Acciari and Carl Grundstrom.
Surging prospect Denver Barkey was the third center on that Orange team, while the Black team featured Jett Luchanko, Christian Dvorak, and Noah Cates down the middle.
If we include Luchanko as part of the equation and roster battle, the Flyers have six centers vying for four spots, and some players will be sent to the AHL (Luchanko) or be forced to play the wing.
Barkey was that guy who shifted to the wing last season, but that may not necessarily always be the case going forward.
“I think it takes a lot of work to be an established NHL centerman, but I think something I’ve always taken pride in is being a versatile player, someone that can play up and down a lineup, and someone that can play center or wing,” Barkey said after Saturday’s scrimmage.
“I haven’t played [center] too much since I was younger in junior, but given the opportunity here now, I know the task at hand for what a center needs to do in all three zones throughout a game. So, having that opportunity here to show them that I can maybe play center and hold my own. It’s just another opportunity for me, and looking to run away with it.”
Barkey, 21, spent much of his time last year with Noah Cates and Sean Couturier as his centers, two players who are defensively sound and can chip in offensively when things are doing well.
Flyers turn to Barkey, linemates for better offensive look?
On Saturday, Barkey was interestingly slotted in between two fellow youngsters in Alex Bump and Matvei Michkov, which speaks to what Rick Tocchet and the Flyers’ coaching staff think of the former third-round pick’s discipline and ability to play responsibly in all three zones. His two wingers are in the NHL for their offensive prowess, but no so much for the defense.
After a tentative start, the fascinating trio found some chemistry and eventually cashed in for two of their team’s four goals.
Tocchet acknowledged the nature of the scrimmage and how rosters had to be divvied up between two teams, but feels there is real potential for Barkey at the center position regardless.
“There’s also something there that we got to look at, because he’s a smart guy. I don’t think he hurts you defensively,” Tocchet said. “What I liked about that, the line started out slow, and then if you watch, they got cooking, and they started having puck possession. There’s a lot of factors into that, and we’ll see. We have some other centers, too. So that’s something that we’re going to have to really look into.”
The Flyers also used Saturday’s scrimmage as an opportunity to work on the power play for the first time this training camp.
Tocchet also spoke about “deception” being the key to a successful unit that scores goals and generates chances; Barkey featured on the first unit alongside Trevor Zegras, Matvei Michkov, Jamie Drysdale, and Owen Tippett and believes his best attributes can shine with such an opportunity.
“My vision and my IQ has always been something that’s separated me for most, and I think on the power play, you have a little more time and space, and you have that extra second to maybe sell a pass and shoot, or make it look like you’re passing somewhere that you’re not,” Barkey assessed. “I think, yeah, as time goes on here, you get more comfortable and continue to grow as a team. I think definitely that’d be something that you look to help this team win games.”
The former London Knights captain finished 11th on the Flyers in total power play ice time last season, playing 69:16 in just 43 regular season games, per Natural Stat Trick. His 1:36 of power play time per game ranked 10th among Flyers forwards, trailing the top dogs and veterans like Michkov, Travis Konecny, Zegras, Tippett, Cates, Christian Dvorak, Porter Martone, Tyson Foerster, and the now-departed Bobby Brink.
Of course, the Flyers’ usage of Barkey in training camp thus far suggests that they have an expanded role in mind, both in terms of position and 5-on-5 play, as well as offensively with increased power play time.
Throughout the summer, GM Danny Briere and the Flyers have mentioned the growth and maturity of their young players as keys to the upcoming season, especially with the overall lack of offseason additions, and Barkey will be as big a piece in that puzzle as anyone as training camp thunders onward.
