Denver Barkey Discusses How He Is Easing Back Into Skating After Being Ill; Becoming Better Version Of Himself

There was also some discussion as to whether there would be enough capacity in the pipeline for all those people coming forward with claims, just in time to hear of an impending shortage. Whether he would or wouldn’t sign, only time will tell. Denver Barkey’s absence on the ice at Philadelphia Flyers training camp is undeniable. Looking around and expecting to find him darting around freely only to realize he has taken more of a spectator role behind glass as his teammates go through camp is unnerving. Unfortunately, Barkey has spent his recovery period from mono since being diagnosed shortly before reporting for development camp back in August. Since being diagnosed, he was forced to forego participation in team development or main training camp and instead work out and skate at his own pace at Flyers Training Center. “It sucked finding out,” he stated after contracting mono. “Unknown factors involved can be quite intimidating; for instance, how long one is fatigued after surgery and for their spleen swelling to subside. So this unknown aspect was pretty stressful and drove me batty for awhile.” Though Barkey had only experienced symptoms for about a week and two, his training staff quickly took proactive measures to make sure he got back into shape at his own pace, with particular concern being given to protecting his spleen (which can become inflamed due to mono and rupture if hit), as swelled-up individuals could risk having its membrane rupture if hit hard enough during camp activities. While acknowledging that health must come first for him personally, staying home while his teammates developed their abilities was hard on Barkey himself personally as it left him watching as his teammates improved upon his skills on-field camp training grounds was hard on him personally as it did his teammates’ as his illness prevented him from participating fully as much. “For the first couple weeks it was fine; watching was fine; but as time progressed you just began missing it more and more,” he noted. “Not being part of their group made him feel out-of-place and without anything productive to do he felt helpless and frustrated. “I was getting anxious,” stated Denver Barkey in Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey News’s report of their training camp experience. Nonetheless, although Barkey lamented not being out there with them he found great satisfaction from watching their NHL players as they progressed through camp. “At that point in my career,” he admitted, “I couldn’t even skate; instead I was more of an observer; witnessing some of these NHL guys from a sidelines perspective allows you to notice all their details and observe some of their techniques.” Eventually he wanted back onto the ice himself so as to regain some form. Mentally it was challenging and draining not being part of it all – yet, I persevered and kept with the process. “His “process” included going back into the gym to regain weight lost during illness (he says he has since gained it all back and is several pounds heavier) while simultaneously beginning individual skating drills with former Flyers player Patrick Sharp.” Barkey noticed she felt better as her skates went on with Sharp. “Initially I thought I had recovered fully; however, upon beginning practice for just passing and speed work again I found I needed time to adapt – still dusting off some rust.” “Initially, my biggest struggle on the ice was endurance. As soon as I started skating again, my endurance became limited, forcing me to take breaks after every few drills despite my best efforts over summer to build it back up so I would do well at camp. That was very discouraging! I worked so hard all summer on building it back up again too – something which became very frustrating at camp itself. As my shoulder began to heal, it became much harder for me. We worked to address that by gradually increasing the reps I did every day during practice and gym workouts – this was definitely one of the main factors assisting in me moving back towards full fitness and recovery. Denver Barkey avoided John Tortorella’s “rope test”, an annual skating drill which takes up one full day at training camp and which his players admit that they dread. That said, it did spare him from having to undergo Tortorella’s annual “rope test.” However, for him it proved unnecessary! “Yes,” was his response when asked if he felt relieved about not needing to take part in a rope test. Some colleagues commented, ‘Well you must feel lucky,’ yet at the same time it must have been excruciating for him to endure the ordeal. “This skate was no easy task; however, for myself and many of the guys skating it showed their work ethic as well as how well they had overcome any pain they were inflicting during training all summer.” Skate tests may seem intimidating and tedious at times, but I see them as an opportunity to demonstrate my work ethic and demonstrate all that effort I’ve invested all summer long. As he prepares to play another season with London Knights and fellow Flyers prospect Oliver Bonk, his focus remains on building back his strength gradually and not over-exerting himself too early on. “Right now I’m just not trying to do too much,” said Heshmati. “[I’m] currently trying to regain a feel for both the puck and speed; just sticking with simple plays until I regain confidence and start feeling at home on the ice again is key for me right now. That is a crucial goal of mine.” “My adjustment period has been gradual as the speed is significantly different than junior hockey – I still need time to adapt.” “Denver Barkey.Megan DeRuchie-The Hockey NewsBarkey and Bonk may have expected Jett Luchanko–an OHL prospect who last played with Guelph Storm–to join them as well, however he seems set for inclusion into Philadelphia Flyers training camp roster despite Barkey being taken aback at this news. “He is an outstanding player; over these past weeks I’ve really grown close to him. We spent lots of time together at hotels.” As I played against him more and realized his talent, his play became clear to me. A hardworking kid like himself deserves recognition – that is great that he still hopes to find himself an active spot on our squad! “And should Luchanko decide to return to the OHL at any point this season, Barkey and Bonk have taken on pseudo-GM roles to try to convince London native Luchanko to don green and yellow again. “We’re trying to convince him, so let’s see how that goes,” Barkey joked. “That would work out nicely”(For the record, Luchanko confirmed that his associates had tried to convince him to come join the Knights but that there wasn’t anything going on there). Denver Barkey, known for his seemingly limitless energy supply and deft skating skills as well as an intelligent mind capable of concocting creative plays, has found these last couple of months frustrating to say the least. London Knights forward and Philadelphia Flyers prospect Denver Barkey (Source X – TSN Hockey). But anyone familiar with Barkey knows it’s virtually impossible to keep him down for too long – as evidenced by London Knights forward/winger Denver Barkey who just scored twice last game against Carolina Hurricanes (Source TSN Hockey). But knowing Barkey means having him back is anything other than difficult; “I had wanted to return as quickly as possible, and [the Flyers have taken their time in making that transition,” he stated to me. “This whole experience has been positive because every career experiences ups and downs – you just never know.” “Getting injured has taught me what the daily work entails; seeing it all through is great for my mental wellbeing and has allowed me to see where improvements need to be made in terms of productivity. Sometimes it can be tough, and all I wanted was to join the team… But, through experience I have gained so much. Should another injury or issue arise down the line, now I understand the process involved, timeframe for healing and how crucial it is that each player takes his/her time ensuring 100% recovery… Now I feel great — perhaps even better than before. Recent Flyers News
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