Former Habs forward Daniel Briere retires

VOORHEES, N.J. (AP) – Danny Briere could have scrapped by for one more National Hockey League season, hung on as fourth-line center and provided veteran leadership for a team needing an extra push toward a Stanley Cup.

Briere, most well-known for his long stints with the Buffalo Sabres and Flyers, indicated in his statement announcing his decision that the idea for retirement had been in the back of his mind for some time.

In this age of analytics, the word “clutch” has become somewhat taboo, but how else would you describe a player who scored 13 game-winning goals and 116 points in 124 Stanley Cup playoff games? “I’ve created a fantastic time in Philadelphia but have been notably, remarkably lucky to have an opportunity to spin here”, Briere said.

In addition, Briere, 37, 17-season career is over for one of the Flyers’ best playoff performers ever, thanked club chairperson Ed Snider, current club president Paul Holmgren and former club president Peter Luukko, along with coaches, staff, fans and his teammates. He still makes his home in Philadelphia and has a strong attachment there, going so far as to suggest that he hopes he could get a role in the organization in the article, adding, “I’ve always been treated well within this organization and I would be proud to maintain a role”.

Briere shined in 2010 when he set a Flyers record with 30 points (12 goals) in 23 playoff games.

Perhaps it’s this goal – a second-overtime tally to give the Buffalo Sabres the win over the Flyers in game one of the 2006 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. It was there that Briere made a name for himself. He’d agreed to meet with us, but he clearly had something better to do with his time and it involved his kids. Canadiens Brendan Gallagher and David Desharnais often spoke of the inspiration Briere provided them when they were growing up, too.

Briere was traded to the Avalanche after signing a two-year deal with Montreal in the summer of 2013. His Philadelphia Flyers had erased a 3-0 series deficit against the Boston Bruins, only to fall behind 3-0 in Game 7. Briere led the Flyers in scoring that playoff season with 16 points as they took out the third-seeded Washington Capitals in seven games and the first-seeded Montreal Canadiens in five games. It evaporated quickly not because Tebow stopped playing hard or quit or even wavered in his confidence. He averaged 1.17 points/game, registering a career-high 95 points in just 81 games.