When asked about what the Flyers would be looking for in terms of free agents, Briere said that they would "probably [seek out] a veteran presence, kind of like Marc Staal was."
He then went on to specify that defenseman Erik Johnson, who can become an unrestricted free agent after July 1, could potentially fill that role.
"That would be Erik Johnson. Exactly," he said. "Otherwise, with the dead money we have, it's not realistic to think that we will make any moves or signings. I mean, we're going to keep our ears open and our eyes open, but I expect it to be a very calm and boring day this summer for free agency."
The dead money that Briere referenced was also brought up during the press conference held by Flyers CEO Dan Hilferty and president of hockey operations Keith Jones, with Jones stating that "...the removal of money off the cap, the dead money, is something that we're going to be able to use to our benefit, as long as we do everything right here and make sure that this is a place that people want to play. It's really important for us to get that message out. It's important for us to continue to communicate with our fans."
While it remains early in the offseason, and the front office currently looks to be more focused on strategizing for the draft, there is a possibility that Johnson could make a return to the Flyers once serious preparations for the upcoming season begin.
