Future NHL stars are developing in the Canadian Hockey League this season. Each week, NHL.com will highlight a few of the top NHL-affiliated prospects in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League and the Western Hockey League.
Oliver Bonk and Denver Barkey have been together since they debuted in the OHL for London in 2021-22, and the Philadelphia Flyers prospects hope to keep their successful run going long into the future.
They're off to good starts in that quest. Bonk, a defenseman who selected in the first round (No. 22) but the Flyers in 2023 NHL Draft, has 30 points (six goals, 24 assists) in 28 games and will play for Canada at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship, which start Tuesday.
Barkey, a forward who was selected in the third round (No. 95) by the Flyers in the 2023 draft, leads London with 44 points (17 goals, 27 assists) in 30 games.
"It's been awesome ever since we were drafted to London when we were 16 [in 2021] and ever since then we've become really close buddies and fortunate enough to be drafted to the same NHL team," Barkey said. "He's a really hard-working kid, really good hockey player and it's been awesome to kind of go through the whole process together."
Barkey's uptick in production might be a bit of a surprise, after the 18-year-old had 59 points (22 goals, 37 assists) in 61 games last season. But Flyers director of player development Riley Armstrong saw the potential for something big this season.
"Our goal was to have him around that 100-point mark this year," Armstrong said. "When I mentioned 100 points to him, he goes ‘oh, that's a lot of points.’ And I said ‘well, you need goals. You just can't sit here and go, well, hopefully I get 80. We expect you to get 80 and to be a point per game guy’."
Barkey doesn't see a triple-digit point total as pressure, more motivation to continue working hard on his development on and off the ice, including getting bigger and stronger (5-foot-9, 155 pounds).
"I think it's just more of when I wake up in the morning I just look in the mirror and I go, they want me to put up 100 points and I'm going to go to the rink today, whether it's practice or a game and I'm going to put in my best effort to help me get to that 100 points, or just put me in the best possible opportunity to get there."
Having Bonk to work against most days in practice also helps.
"His defensive game is very mature," Barkey said. "His IQ and his stick allow him to break up a lot of plays. I know I struggle with him on 2-on-1's in practice, he's always getting his stick in the way, he's always reading me. He's really smart on the defensive side of the puck, and on the offensive side of the puck."
Bonk's offensive game has come alive since he scored his first goal of the season Nov. 9. In 13 games before leaving for World Juniors, he had 18 points (six goals, 12 assists) and six power-play goals in 13 games. The goal was his first in 36 games, dating to Feb. 6.
"I still had some offense, but it was definitely nagging me that I hadn't scored in that long," Bonk said. "So it was good to get one. We kind of figured out our power play so I got more but it was just good to get the first one out of the way."
Bonk has played in the bumper spot on London's power play, a unique spot for a defenseman, but Armstrong said it has helped Bonk's hands get better.
"I think in that area of the ice, it's actually helped with his hands a lot," Armstrong said. "We've talked a lot about working on his hands, getting them to a higher level of skill work and puck play. But being in that spot, you look at some of the best players in there in the NHL, Joe Pavelski, Brayden Point ... there's so many guys that play in that spot that are highly skilled players. I think being in there and having to make plays and kick pucks out on the power play is really helping him overall from an offensive standpoint."
Bonk's defensive game has been just what the Flyers have been hoping to see.
"He's a pretty good skater, he has a really, really good stick, he closes on guys," Armstrong said. "He defends well, and then he breaks pucks out. He never puts his teammates in trouble when he's making a breakout pass. And I think that's the heads-up hockey that he does play. He sees the forecheck, he understands the forecheck, he understands that neutral-zone forecheck, that he can hold onto a puck for a split second and deliver a nice, clean first pass and have an easy breakout. I think that those are the strengths to his game."
Bonk's current focus is helping Canada win the gold medal at the WJC. But he has other goals when he gets back to London.
"I think definitely generate more 5-on-5, obviously scoring and everything like that, but I think I can be more dangerous 5-on-5," Bonk said.
The goal also is to reach the Memorial Cup after London lost to Peterborough in the OHL final last season. And for Bonk and Barkey to do it together.
"I think he's one of our best players obviously in London," Bonk said of Barkey. "He works a 200-foot game, which I love. He doesn't play with an ego, like he's better than everyone else, he doesn't have to play defense. He's always back to defend. He can score, he can skate, he can do everything. I just love playing with him."
OTHERS TO WATCH
Hunter Brzustewicz, D, Kitchener: The Vancouver Canucks prospect has 15 points (one goal, 14 assists), including seven multipoint games, in his past nine and has moved into a tie for the OHL scoring lead. Selected in the third round (No. 75) of the 2023 draft, the 19-year-old has 55 points (seven goals, 48 assists) in 34 games.
Mathieu Cataford, LW, Halifax: The Vegas Golden Knights prospect capped a three-goal, five-point night by scoring the game-tying and game-winning goals in a 5-4 overtime win against Gatineau on Dec. 8. That started a five-game point streak (eight goals, five assists) that allowed the 18-year-old third round pick (No. 77) in the 2023 draft to move into first place in the QMJHL with 51 points (22 goals, 29 assists) in 33 games.
Ben Hemmerling, LW, Everett: The Golden Knights prospect had his first four-point game (two goals, two assists) of the season on Dec. 8 against Vancouver, and one night later had his second (two goals, two assists) in a rematch with Vancouver. That began a streak of five straight multipoint games, which ended when he had one assist against Wenatchee on Dec. 17. The 19-year-old, a sixth-round pick (No. 177) in the 2022 NHL Draft, has 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) during a six-game point streak, and 43 points (12 goals, 31 assists) in 34 games this season.
