One 35 year old player arrives in Philly while another 35 year old soon-to-be-will be departing soon.
The amnesty buyout of Briere will eliminate the $6.5 million cap hit for the next two seasons.
The Flyers have agreed in principle to a 4 year, $21 million contract. The team cannot sign the deal until they clear out cap space. They presently sit more than 10% ($7.8 million) over the salary cap. Holmgren will clear a massive chunk our by executing the Briere buyout.
The business of hockey can be cruel. Briere is on e of the great human beings who happens to play hockey. Some players are great at hockey and so-so at being a nice guy. Not Briere. I once told him that his parents raised him the right way. He thanked me, smiled and blushed. He's a humble and contrite man. He never ever declined one of my interview requests when he played in Buffalo, even after his last ever game with the Sabres when they were knocked out of the Eastern Conference Finals by the Ottawa Senators in may 2007. Teary eyed and overcome with emotion, Briere answered the tough questions, didn't duck out the back door or hide. In true Danny fashion, exposed his heart and soul.
I'll always respect Briere for the way he expressed himself with class and dignity on locker lean put day in May 2007. He was complimentary of the Sabres negotiating stance with regard to their two UFAs Briere and Drury. Those of us who were in the Sabres room that day could sense that Briere and Drury were likely heading out of the door and down the long and winding road to newer opportunities.
Danny wanted to stay in Buffalo. He loved Buffalo. He never sugar-coated his feelings about staying in Buffalo. Its too bad that it didn't work out for him in Buffalo six years ago and now on Philadelphia.
Thanks, Sabres.com
Philly's loss will be another team's gain.
The Philly media and fans are going to miss Briere the same way that Sabres fans do. Briere touches lives and leaves a lasting impression where ever he plays. He's a character guy who loves his teammates and puts them above all else.
a lot of us will miss Danny Briere but we knew it was coming. Again, among the classiest athletes I have covered since the 1970s
I'll make a confession. I'd love to see the Sabres bring Briere back to Buffalo. Albeit, as a winger and not a full time center. I think that he'd play the role of a mentor/coach-on-the-ice perfectly. I'd love to see Briere play in Blue and Gold. He'd add immediate value and leadership to the Buffalo room, much the same way that Teppo Numminen did when he was brought in to add some grey haired experience and wisdom to the Sabres room. I feel strongly that Briere would be an excellent role model to youngsters Ennis, Hodgson, Foligno, Girgensons, Grigorenko, Armia, Pysyk, McNabb, to say nothing of the difference makers that the team will draft in Newark on June 30th. The money would have to be right. I'm thinking $3.5-$4 per season for two seasons.
The Flyers are committed to letting Briere skate away while they will be keeping their enigmatic, high priced goalie.
According to the Daily News, Ilya Bryzgalov is staying put in Philly. For now.
Bryzgalov's agent, Ritch Winter, told the Daily News Tuesday night he spoke with Paul Holmgren as recently as Monday to check on the status of his client.
Winter contacted Holmgren based on various reports, especially from TSN in Canada, that Bryzgalov would be bought out. Winter said Holmgren reassured him that Bryzgalov was one of the Flyers' "best players" and that he was "not the problem" and would remain a Flyer next season.
Were the Flyers to buy him out, they would have to pay him $23 million over the next 14 years to not play for the team.
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