Danny Briere officially retires from the National Hockey League after 17 seasons

When asked about his commitment to charitable causes, Briere said that he realized a long time ago that the game has given him a lot and enabled him to provide a good life to his children.

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Briere recorded eight points in 13 games with the Falcons in 1998-99, and spent most of the 1999-2000 season with Springfield as well, totaling 29 goals and 42 assists for 71 points in 58 contests.

Briere began as a young and diminutive center who couldn’t stick with a veteran laden Phoenix Coyotes team in the late 1990s. He played in 123 games, producing almost a point-per-game.

“I couldn’t control myself”, Briere said. Along with Scott Gomez and Buffalo teammate Chris Drury, Briere was part of a star-studded free-agent class and turned out to be the best of the three. This is not a coincidence. Then they’d run back and open some more until they found someone else.

After leading his team back from a 3-0 series deficit against the Boston Bruins in the conference semifinals, Briere and the Flyers played like a team on a mission during the conference finals. He went to the danger zones, he had that same human pinball quality as Marty St. Louis and he didn’t hesitate to nefariously mix it up with opponents.

Regardless of what your favorite moment of Briere’s was, there’s no denying his talent and how much skill he showed during his time with the Buffalo Sabres.

On the global scene, he helped Canada win world championships in 2003 and 2004. He was involved in Ed Snider’s youth hockey initiatives. And just like that, in the summer of 2007, he was gone. Briere kept those newspaper clippings in a box in his bedroom.

Calgary’s Johnny Gaudreau – listed at 5-foot-9 and 150 pounds – grew up idolizing Briere from his childhood home in New Jersey.

His kids, though, were a bit torn. After spending time with them this offseason, he decided being away from them was not something he wished to again endure.

While not quite a Hall of Fame talent, Briere is remembered fondly in Philadelphia as a cornerstone during one of the most successful stretches in franchise history.

During his six years as a Flyer Briere was serviceable, especially in the playoffs. Brier’s numbers were declining and his injuries were piling up.

There will be those who say Briere wasn’t worth the money, but none of them are really worth the money, are they? The Flyers of course fell to the Blackhawks in 6.

With two of them playing hockey and one playing lacrosse, Briere has a buffet of games and practices to hit in retirement.

In his first season, he would register 72 points (31 goals, 41 assists) in 79 games.