• March 28, 2024

Danny Briere Caught in No-Win Situation

2013_game16_briereWith a 6-9-1 record, the Philadelphia Flyers are not that far out of playoff contention in the shortened NHL season that it’s time to “panic.”

Following ugly losses against New Jersey and Montreal, though, there are clearly fundamental issues with the club that need to be addressed if they are going to remain a serious contender both this season and beyond.

From a personnel perspective, the team is in desperate need of a quality puck-moving defenseman. In August, I placed a lot of expectations on defenseman Andrej Meszaros to replace the production and minutes provided by former Flyer Matt Carle after he signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The jury is still out on whether “Mez” can fill the void simply because he hasn’t been able to stay healthy. He has begun skating this week while recuperating from a shoulder injury, but he is still likely a few weeks away from returning to action.

Meanwhile, head coach Peter Laviolette has had to lean more heavily on defensemen Braydon Coburn and Bruno Gervais to provide offense, a task that neither player is best suited for.

The trickle-down effect is that the offense is sporadic without the puck support and the team as a whole is struggling to follow Laviolette’s system as designed.

This has now led to vague character issues being thrown around by both Claude Giroux and Danny Briere.

From CSNPhilly:

“We were not competing. We’re not winning battles. We’re just going through the motions. We’re a young team that can skate, have a strong stick, we should be winning more battles than this. It’s just frustrating to see. I know I have to be better, but on a team there’s twenty guys, and we need everybody to show up.” – Giroux

“With all the scorers we have on this team, it’s tough to understand at this point. There’s a lot of frustration, a lot of guys squeezing their sticks right now.” – Briere

Briere is caught in a no-win situation at the moment. At 35, the number of opportunities he has left to compete for the Stanley Cup are dwindling down. The Flyers aren’t necessarily in need of a complete “rebuild,” but they still look like a team in transition until the defensive needs are addressed.

In 2010, the Flyers asked forward Simon Gagne to waive his no-move-clause in order to move his contract and become cap compliant. The fan favorite winger reluctantly agreed, but only to be moved to a team he felt would be invested in him long-term.

It didn’t work out for him in Tampa Bay, but he had better success last season with the Los Angeles Kings.

The Flyers aren’t in as serious of a bind with the salary cap next season as they were in 2010, so there is no urgency to shed salary. For Briere’s sake, though, it may soon be time for the organization to ask him if he’d like to be traded to a serious contender.

Briere would be a very attractive piece to a team in need of additional offense, veteran leadership and an ideal contract for teams at the salary cap floor. Briere carries a $6.5 million cap hit, but is only due $5 million between the next two seasons (the last years of his eight-year deal with Philadelphia).

If he remains in Philadelphia, he is going to continue to bounce around the line-up as Laviolette and general manager Paul Holmgren figure out what to do with their glut of centermen.

This isn’t to suggest that the Flyers should trade Briere. He is one of the most outspoken and respected voices in the locker room and is a proven playoff performer.

It’s just a question of whether or not Briere thinks the team can turn it around quickly enough or if it’s time to part ways.

The trade deadline is April 3rd, and the Flyers will have just twelve games after to finish the 2013 NHL season. The playoff picture should be much clearer by then, and whether or not the Flyers are realistically in it.

Josh Janet

Josh Janet was raised in Northern New Jersey, but by an odd set of circumstances, is a Philadelphia sports fan. While recently converted to the Phillies, Josh is a diehard Flyers fan and can be expected to stay on top of the latest NHL news.

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DCar
DCar
February 18, 2013 4:07 am

He has ZERO room to talk, coming from someone who’s always hurt, & is David Copperfield, 90% of every season. He’s been an even bigger disappointment, than the Bryz signing. He ain’t a leader, & they onl reason he’s still here, is because he won’t wave his NTC/ NMC, because his kids! He’s 35, overpaid, too small, injury prone, can’t back-check/ fore-check, has no position on this team, hasn’t been good in years, & is in decline! So where is he going?

DCar
DCar
February 18, 2013 4:08 am
Reply to  DCar

*the only reason*

eagles0superbowls
eagles0superbowls
February 18, 2013 6:20 am

add Talbot and Giroux’s play along with Briere to being disappointing this season ( the little guys look little out there)
Post Saturday’s lose in Montreal, Bill Clement commented that the Flyers just aren’t winning face offs —
Giroux is taking more foolish penalties than Rinaldo ( they are both worth one Power Play a game)
a lot of reasons for the Flyers struggles but Holmgren’s off season is #1 — Losing Jagr, Van Reimdyk , and Carle might mean no playoffs

paulman
paulman
February 18, 2013 11:28 am

Giroux has to Mature and fast.. as the Captain and leader of this Team, he needs to keep things in-house or will be in jeopardy of losing his “respect” around the Lockeroom.. This happens when young,successful Players who are popular (like Giroux is) get the Captain Label than struggle to perform with the added pressure and expectations..
I’ve always preferred that the “Captain” be the wily veteran who is know more for his Work Ethic, Dedication,Hockey Smarts, Leadership abilities while be a tough,physical player than your best Player skills wise…. I think Giroux is trying to be something that he is not and I think this Team has a too many older players who are on their downside of the careers big time (Briere,Timomen,Talbot and even Hartnell who had a Career Year last Season will be very unlikely to duplicate those #’s again since Giroux is not flying under the radar any longer like he was early last Season)
Flyers got fleeced by the Maple Leafs in the JVR for Schenn Deal..
Flyers Front Office, as usual, panicked and traded away a future 30 Goals Scorer for the next 10 Years for an Average Defensman in Schenn because everyone said after last Season, you have to updgrade your Defense just like the Off-Season befire when they panicked and overpaid, oversigned Goalie Bryz because what Ed Snider Say’s and Want’s Happens, no matter if it makes sense or not.. GM Holmgrem is simply a lacky dog to Snider’s wishes who is quickly becoming the “Al Davis” of Hockey, but too many in the Local Media and Fans are too slow to see his Poor Decisions or to Call him out on it..

paulman
paulman
February 18, 2013 12:52 pm

A better Title Josh, could be “Flyers Fans in a No-Win Situation”
Do you cut the chord with Veteran Players before the Trade Deadline to Teams that are making a legitiamate Playoff Run like a Briere, Talbot, Hartnell if/when he Returns, to help build for the future or stay put and hope the Flyers make a late surge to make the Playoffs and see what happens and start over after the off-season..

DCar
DCar
February 18, 2013 4:12 pm
Reply to  paulman

Paul, Briere & Hartnell have NTC/ NMC. They ain’t going nowhere!

paulman
paulman
February 18, 2013 4:54 pm

NTC mean nothing anymore in Sports DCAR and get waived all the time….
When a Player gets word or feels that he is not wanted any longer by an Organization, most Players are not going to want to hang around for a Team that doesn’t want or value them any longer.. The key is to find a Team that the Player is willing to relocate to for a shot of a Stanly Cup, or strong relationships with other Players or Coaches and a Geographical Location that the Player enjoys..

RegalEagle
RegalEagle
February 18, 2013 7:07 pm

The problem is getting a player back that will help the flyers moving forward. BTW Hartnell is far too important to move at this point. Brier on the other hand with his play off play could bring a decent prospect or package of players/picks.

Iggles
Iggles
February 19, 2013 2:40 am

@DCar…. Briere “always hurt”; nowhere near as you imply … check the record; one rough year and back by playoffs. The guy can flat play & not afraid to go into corners despite size; one of better players around the net in league with quick release and skating. One of few guys on team who can score in shootouts. He, probably more than any other player on team, is asked to fill in and play several positions on different lines… Why is that? Playoff gamer. Gets streaky at times but still a big asset. 5 goals, 2nd highest on team in fewer games. If Flyers trade him before playoffs, Holmgren better get proven young talent. So far L. Schenn’s play has been very solid and with 2nd lowest +/- on team and low PIM for D-man. Give him at least another year. Talking about hurt players, JVR was among worst staying healthy the last couple seasons.
’07… 79 GP
’08… 29 GP
’09… 75 GP
’10… 77 GP
’11… 70 GP
’12… 13 GP; missed first 4 games only

paulman
paulman
February 19, 2013 9:20 am

I believe Briere leads the Flyers in Recent History with Playoff Goals over his Flyer Career.. Problem is, Flyers probably won’t make the Playoffs this Year
so do you move him for Prospects to a Team that has a legitimate chance

bugsyhawk
bugsyhawk
February 19, 2013 10:30 am

DCAR- you have always had a limited view on Briere. You never acknowledge how money he is in the playoffs. Not one time. And as Iggles points, out your always hurt comment is outta left field too. He has also been a mentor for some of the younger players included Giroux and Couterier.

I think that they may have to trade him this year which is a shame, because I love him as a player. He is a 5’8 inch dude who picks fights with guys twice his size. Plus, he is clutch when it counts.

I do think that you will have a number of teams that will be interested in him including Montreal that boos him whenever he plays there because he spurned them for the Flyers.

jakedog
jakedog
February 20, 2013 9:40 pm

The flyers looking very strong against the penguins, all is not lost, that black boy Timmons sure can fight, love him

jakedog
jakedog
February 20, 2013 9:45 pm

Wayne Simmons can play, where are the brothers here rooting for him, no lets root for that imbecile Vick, he’s more like us , not Simmons, we are more like Vick, not like that uncle Tom Simmons who shows intelligence, grit , we like Vick, he’s more like us imbeciles

mhenski
mhenski
February 20, 2013 10:54 pm

very entertaining hockey game tonight!

eagles0superbowls
eagles0superbowls
February 21, 2013 9:15 am
Reply to  mhenski

Coolest game on earth
might just be the best ticket in all of professional sports right now
Penguins/Fliyers

Frank22
Frank22
February 21, 2013 10:49 am

I agree E0S.. It just mite be the top rivalry also