The Philadelphia Flyers have dropped seven of their last 10 contests, falling to 17–10–7 on the season. While solid, this has them clinging to a playoff spot. In this edition of Flyers News & Rumors, we’ll look at Denver Barkey’s NHL debut, Samuel Ersson‘s future between the pipes, and make a case for and against extending Christian Dvorak.
Barkey’s Impeccable NHL Debut
You couldn’t possibly ask for a better NHL debut from the 20-year-old winger. Barkey was called up from the American Hockey League (AHL) for the Flyers’ afternoon clash with the New York Rangers on Dec. 20, and he recorded two assists, two shots, one hit, and two blocks in a 5–4 shootout loss. He played 15:18 of ice time and had a 64.40% expected goal share at 5-on-5, per Natural Stat Trick, controlling the pace of play.
Barkey is a small but hardworking winger with legitimate skill. The 2023 third-round pick reminds me a little bit of Claude Giroux when he was the same age: someone who works hard, can play all situations, and flashes some skill.
Of course, the ceiling on Giroux was always higher. But there’s a real future in the NHL for Barkey. He does so many things well.
Ersson’s Struggles & Future with the Flyers
We’re about halfway through the 2025–26 season, and unfortunately, it’s been a struggle for Ersson. His 5–4–4 record is decent, but a .867 save percentage and 3.10 goals-against average are definitely short of where he’d like to be.
At this point, Ersson isn’t battling for the starting job (that was lost a while ago). He’s battling for his future in the NHL. With one year left on his contract, the Flyers have no obligation to run the 26-year-old back for a fourth season. He has to earn it.
Admittedly, the Flyers’ internal options are young and unproven. Aleksei Kolosov, who will be 24 in January, has had a good campaign for the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms. But after a difficult 17-game stretch with the Flyers last season, earning a full-time backup role by next October won’t be easy.
Carson Bjarnason, a second-round pick in 2023 and an AHL rookie, has also played well for the Phantoms. With that said, the Flyers may want him to marinate in Lehigh Valley a bit more before making him an NHL backup.
Externally, there will be plenty of options—backups hit the market every summer. If Ersson wants to stay in Philadelphia, he’ll have to pick it up down the stretch. A career .886 save percentage is far from guaranteed extension material.
Dvorak: To Extend or Not to Extend?
When the Flyers signed Dvorak to a one-year, $5.4 million contract in the summer, many thought he’d without a doubt be flipped at the trade deadline for futures. But due to playing the best hockey of his career, he’s probably more likely to extend, according to The Athletic‘s Kevin Kurz.
Related: Flyers News & Rumors: Dvorak’s Value, Tippett’s Slump, & More
In a recent piece, he wrote, “Flyers management has put a priority on making the playoffs this season, not only because they value young players getting that kind of experience, but also because they feel they owe it to the players who have been with the team for several seasons and who have endured the pain of the rebuild,” (from ‘What I’m hearing about the Flyers and Quinn Hughes, plus Christian Dvorak’s future,’ The Athletic – Dec. 12, 2025).
Dvorak has been a revelation for the Flyers down the middle, recording 23 points and a plus-8 rating across 33 contests. Evidently, he’s been one of the main drivers of the team’s success—parting ways would be a hard pill to swallow. Philadelphia may value him more than any asset a trade partner is willing to give up.
On the other hand, Dvorak will turn 30 years old in February. Handing him an extension at an age where most players start to decline—especially a long-term extension—may be shortsighted. If you can get a first-round pick at the deadline, which could theoretically be flipped for a younger center, you should probably do it.
As 2025–26 moves along, things should be clearer for the Flyers. Barkey’s still very young, but if he continues to impress, he may not touch the AHL again. Ersson, meanwhile, is battling to simply stay in the NHL at this point, even if he’s probably safe for the rest of this season. Finally, the Dvorak extension debate should start to heat up as the trade deadline nears.
