During Chuck Fletcher’s most recent press conference, there were some hints dropped that Danny Briere could see himself with a more increased role at the management level. And after being interviewed for the Montreal Canadiens General Manager position, the Flyers have made the move official within their own organization.
Briere will now hold the title of Special Assistant to the General Manager. Briere had been working in hockey operations for most of this season, but this new title makes it all official. He will be involved in all aspects of how the Flyers are run, including player development and scouting.
Briere has always been a fan favorite and brings an extensive amount of hockey experience to the position. He has spent parts of five years with the Maine Mariners of the ECHL, filling in a variety of positions. He began as the Vice President of Operations and was most recently the President and Governor of the team. Briere has also filled numerous roles within the Flyers organization as well. He worked in a player development role prior to this and also spent time in the team’s front office, working on the business side of things.
"“I’m excited for this new opportunity to join the Flyers hockey operations department,” said Briere. “Philadelphia is a place that I’ve called home for a long time and have had some of the most memorable moments in my career. I want to thank Chuck Fletcher and Dave Scott for their confidence and support over the last several years, and I look forward to helping them continue to build a successful team on and off the ice.”"
Before his post-playing career, he spent 17 seasons in the NHL. Six of those years were spent in the Flyers organization after he signed an eight-year contract as a free agent during the summer of 2007. He easily goes down as one of the best playoff performers the team has ever seen. He registered 37 goals and 72 points in 68 playoff games. 30 of those points came during the team’s Stanley Cup run in 2010. That’s the most points a player has recorded in franchise history.
During the regular season, Briere posted 30+ goals twice and had over 70 points during his first season in Philadelphia. In 364 career regular-season games, he recorded 124 goals and 283 points.
"“I’m very happy to add Danny to our hockey operations team in a full-time role,” said Fletcher. “His insight and experience from 25 years in professional hockey, as well as first-hand knowledge of the Philadelphia Flyers, is a valuable asset for our organization and I look forward to working closely with him on a day-to-day basis.”"
Briere officially retired from the NHL in August of 2015 and would move into his prior role with the Mariners two years later. A knowledgable former player, Briere will bring plenty to his new role.