Posted: Thursday, March 5, 2009, 11:33 PM | 19 comments |
 

Briere injured again; season in jeopardy?
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     Poor Danny Briere.

    The Flyers' center had a dynamic playoff last year and hoped to carry the momentum into this season.

    But his season has had more missed games than goals, more aggravation than exaltation.

    Tonight, in the Flyers' ugly 5-1 loss to impressive Calgary, Briere left the game late in the second period and did not return. He suffered another groin injury and he will be sidelined for the fourth time this season.

    And, based on general manager Paul Holmgren's body language and somber responses after the game, it wouldn't be surprising if Briere was shut down for the rest of the regular season _ and perhaps the playoffs.

    Holmgren said Briere will be evaluated Friday.

    Briere, who was playing in just his third game since being sidelined on Dec. 2,  has undergone two operations this season and has played in just 12 games.

    The Flyers are 3-6-3 with Briere in the lineup, but most of that has to do with the team's poor start and less to do with the center's play.

   Briere will undoubtedly be sidelined for a while, and Jared Ross is among the Phantoms candidates to take his spot.

  If Briere is going to miss the rest of the season and go on the long-term injury list, his $6.5 million salary won't count against the cap. But that won't help the Flyers acquire Jay Bouwmeester or Chris Pronger _ or anyone else _ because the injury occurred one day after the trade deadline.

 
Posted by Sam Carchidi @ 11:33 PM  Permalink | 19 comments
19
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:11 AM, 03/06/2009
    If he reinjured his groin, then I say shut him down for the season. He is owed way too much money to be messing around with a recurring injury like this. It is gonna hurt us this year, but at least he will be fully recovered for next year when we should have most of our guys back and hopefully JVR added to the lineup.
    — robm0202
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:53 AM, 03/06/2009
    Dump him. He's the reincarnation of the "tin man". I'm weary of this saga, and disgusted with the accommodations we've made for this wuss.
    — pd20years
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:53 AM, 03/06/2009
    SHE is unbelievable!!...Just waive her and eat the money....what a disgrace!!!
    — CROSSI
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:38 AM, 03/06/2009
    Yahmpy - agreed. I would add that this contract will saddle the Flyers for years to come. They had to give away Upshall and a 2nd rounder just to get another good with below average talent. The depth this team had is gone thanks to cutting Vannanen and Metro. Holmgren is also looking every bit the overmatched GM I feared he would be.
    — Repubrebirth
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:24 AM, 03/06/2009
    wow you people are morons... i bet you were all over his jock last year when he had an amazing playoff run... he is hurt... it happens... they lost last night, they wont win every game.. its unreal they are in 4th place they lose one game and now people are riding them out of the playoffs.... this is why philly has a terrible name... there is a lot of talent on this team and they could make a push in the playoffs... stop crying
    — bleed green forever
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:25 AM, 03/06/2009
    Gotta love the timing here....
    — Mr. Chubby
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:30 AM, 03/06/2009
    I swear if I wasn't born in this area I would hate Philly just based on the fans. You guys really need to give it a rest. How many of you have had a groin injury that requires surgery? You honestly think the guy wants to be hurt!? And prior to this he has had a healthy career. It is a freak thing...sort of what happened to Gagne. Just like him, out of sight out of mind to Philly fans. They wanted to trade Gagne in the summer and now look at him. Give Briere a break. He is in year 2. He isn't worth what we paid but what free agent is ever worth the money they get in competitive offers? This is ridiculous. The guy scored 31 goals for us last year and we complain about his +/-. He isn't a defensive player. He is a PP specialists (points on PP don't count to your +/- by the way). It is the coach's job to know how to utilize his players. You can't put a guy like this on a line with defensive liabilities. Blame Stevens, blame the medical staff but don't blame Briere. Our fans scare every superstar that comes into this city away and it is ridiculous. He is a fantastic player. How many of you play hockey? Do you know how hard it is to come back from what he is trying to come back from? I bet you any money that if he wasn't pressured so bad to come back from fans and the organization, that he wouldn't have been back yet. He never seemed comfortable and now he is being alientated. So go ahead Philly. Trade him. Buy him out...so he can go score 40 for another team.
    — dmr
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:30 AM, 03/06/2009
    This is what you get when you tinker with team chemistry. Trading Upshall was a mistake. look at the effort that was displayed last night. I wasted my time since i was at the game and had to stomach the effort of a listless team. Hey Stevens maybe you need to mess with the stalls in the locker room again. AS for Briere it may be time to buy out his hefty cap crippling contract. He owes the fans money. He has always been known as a soft player as well as fragile ( i hope he reads this )
    — SAM1FLYERS
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:41 AM, 03/06/2009
    Comparatively speaking of course...this guy earned the money he got. He was phenomenal in Buffalo and was great for us last year (let's not forget our playoff run where we had no business beating the Caps or Montreal). No sport figure deserves a million dollars in my opinion but the business is lucrative enough to pay it and production wise, he is worth it. He has a groin injury. I would love to put this injury in any one of you, give you $6 million and then tell you to suck it up, get out there and score some goals. You are all ridiculous and most of you have no clue how to even play hockey so don't criticize someone's profession unless you can go face to face with him and shut him down. He will be back next year and score 40 goals if properly placed on a line to allo him the chances (Stevens). Then you will all love him again. Typical Philly.
    — dmr
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:21 AM, 03/06/2009
    dmr, I did not like this signing when it happened, was not happy with the dollar amount and especially the amount of years. Was hoping that he would prove me wrong, but that is certainly not the case. Look what has been done in the last week to accommodate Briere being re-activated. Flyers lose two depth players and one possible core player to the waiver wire and trade route, and then they are unable to add anyone without subtracting at the deadline. This contract is hurting the Flyers in more ways than one, not to mention the chemistry of this team. Let Briere score 40 goals for another team, if so then good for him, but chances are he won't unless it is for a team in a no check league.
    — zammer25
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:33 PM, 03/06/2009
    Flyers are looking very unstable, I'm really nervous.
    — LF
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:47 PM, 03/06/2009
    zammer, I'm not disputing whether or not we should have signed him as the fact is he is here. We would have probably been best to use that money on a legit goalie or to build our defense like the Devils. All I'm stating is I think a guy who scores 30+ a year and helps to move your PP in the top 5 after being horrible for many years deserves some slack. As far as Briere being fragile. How do you figure? He played almost every game last season and prior to that he has had healthy seasons. This year he got a bad injury and made it worse through pressure to return early. I'm sure he doesn't want to be hurt right now. It is what it is. He is in year 2. Put him on the shelf and let him come back next year healthy so he can earn his money. And I'm sorry but I would rather have his 40 goals in our uniform. Try to sign a proven 30-40 goal scorer that shows up in the playoffs and improves your PP for under $6 million. He has had a hurt year. Not a bad one. We would be having a different conversation if he played every game and only netted 9 goals.
    — dmr
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:51 PM, 03/06/2009
    I also would have preferred a shorter contract for Briere. But when he is healthy he is an asset. Latest news is that he didn't re-injure the groin; some adhesions from the previous injury broke loose and caused some bleeding. The doctor said that is normal. Let's not panic. The only thing that bothers me about last few days was losing the 2nd round pick; why didn't Phoenix just take Upshall for Carcillo straight up. The NHL salary cap sucks..let's eliminate it.
    — hkhund07


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About Sam Carchidi
Sam Carchidi is in his fourth year as the Flyers' beat reporter. He became an Inquirer staff writer in 1984 and covered mostly South Jersey high school sports and the Phillies before taking the Flyers beat.

Carchidi has written three books _ the nationally acclaimed Miracle in the Making: The Adam Taliaferro Story, which he co-authored with Scott Brown; Bill Campbell: The Voice of Philadelphia Sports; and Standing Tall: The Kevin Everett Story, which was featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show. He also contributed to a 1993 Inquirer book on the Phillies.

A lifelong South Jersey resident, Carchidi lives in Wenonah with his wife, JoAnn, and their two children, Sara and Sammy.

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