It has been two years since the Philadelphia Flyers fired Chuck Fletcher and just now, there is a clear vision for the future thanks to Danny Briere.
During the 2023 NHL trade deadline, most Flyers fans expected one thing and one thing only: then general manager Chuck Fletcher would get something, anything for James van Riemsdyk. At the time van Riemsdyk was going to be an unrestricted free agent and was going to walk. As the deadline approached, Fletcher shipped off Isaac Ratcliffe for future considerations, Patrick Brown for a Senators’ sixth-round pick and acquired Brendan Lemieux and a fifth-round pick in exchange for Zack MacEwen. But Fletcher didn’t part with van Riemsdyk when the deadline passed, stating he could “only control my half, and there has to be a willing buyer.”
Flyers fans and season ticket holders didn’t buy it, booing Fletcher justifiably and mercilessly at a town hall days later. That was the final straw as Flyers ownership cleaned house, showing Fletcher the door and replacing him with Danny Briere. That was on March 10, 2023, two years ago today. Since that time Briere hasn’t seen the Flyers play one playoff game (under Fletcher they made the playoffs during the 2019-20 pandemic-shortened season). They have played meaningful hockey (this coming stretch being an outlier) and had a chance last season to make the playoffs. But a late season collapse dashed those hopes. In short, Briere has managed to do a hell of a lot in two years, effectively getting the Flyers slowly but surely out of cap hell (a rising cap ceiling certainly helps that), getting rid of pieces that didn’t fit, and beginning to restock the prospects pool.
Since taking over, Briere has added Keith Jones as President of Hockey Operations as the Flyers brass replaced Flyers Governor Dave Scott with the affable and personable Dan Hilferty. Those moves won’t translate into wins. But it appears as if all three share common ground: this is going to take patience, smart decision-making, and discipline to ensure the Flyers begin turning the corner towards competitiveness, eventual contenders and, dare I say it, champions.
Briere’s biggest moves in his first season were getting rid of three pieces of cap space that weren’t going to be part of the long-term solution. Kevin Hayes was shipped to the Blues while retaining 50 per cent of his salary. Ivan Provorov’s departure was a coup for Briere, receiving a first-round pick from Columbus (which turned into Oliver Bonk), Helge Grans (who is still developing in Lehigh Valley), Cal Petersen (okay everything didn’t come up roses, but he’s off the books at the end of this year) and Sean Walker. Walker was a gem to pick up as his stellar play nabbed Briere an additional 2025 first-round pick from Colorado. Provorov’s Pride Night debacle also didn’t endear him to many in the organization. And finally, Tony DeAngelo was bought out of his contract in July, 2023.
Adding the recent retainments of Scott Laughton (who garnered another first round pick in 2027), Andrei Kuzmenko (for a third-round pick in 2027), and Cam Atkinson’s buyout, the Flyers have $15,696,428 tied up in buyouts and retention this current season. In 2025-26, with a rising cap ceiling, that total will be reduced to $6,829,761. As of now, they have zero dollars tied up in buyouts or retention for 2026-27, and with the expected cap ceiling for that season at $104,000,000! Granted there will be contracts to be doled out over that time (Cam York, Tyson Foerster, Noah Cates, possibly locking up Matvei Michkov long-term), but the Flyers should find themselves with flexibility.
Briere also hasn’t lost sight of the big picture, with a few decisions reflecting his goal. Many speculated he wouldn’t be eager to trade Scott Laughton at all. But clearly his asking price was met and one of the big “culture” or “locker room” guys is now in Toronto. Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee weren’t looking like great pieces moving forward so they were dealt to Calgary (as well as Kuzmenko who played a handful of games in Philadelphia), removing all of Farabee’s cap hit and term while avoiding possibly giving Frost more money and years then they desired. And Briere’s earned brownie points in some of these trades, dealing Laughton to Toronto as he resides in nearby Oakville and returning little-used veteran Erik Johnson back to Colorado (where he won a Cup) as the Avalanche prepare for another playoff run.
He also hasn’t been averse to going against the grain, particularly in the NHL Drafts. Although, in hindsight, he would’ve looked moronic to pass on Michkov, he did something six other NHL general managers didn’t do. Briere also took a swing of sorts last year when he took Jett Luchanko, a center who looks like he has speed to burn and endeared himself to coach John Tortorella. Although Tortorella looked like he wanted Luchanko up for the long haul, the youngster clearly wasn’t ready for the pros. This coming draft he has a possible seven of the top 50 selections in the opening two rounds, a mammoth haul of potential. Or pieces that could land him a top-end center.
Even a simple decision in the 2024 Draft with Edmonton showed his smarts, trading their first round pick (then the last pick of the first round), for the Oilers’ 2025 first-round pick. As it currently stands, that decision has made what would’ve been the 32nd pick in round one last year the 23rd overall selection in 2025. Possibly nine spots gained through patience! And you can’t forget what he’s done regarding the entire William Gauthier situation. Keeping such a secret for months while trying to get the disgruntled Gauthier to at least explain his side face-to-face would’ve been leaked by many NHL teams in the same predicament. That would’ve crippled any leverage he might have had in trading him. But Briere managed to turn a chickens–t into chicken salad, dealing Gauthier for a young defenseman in Jamie Drysdale. Drysdale hasn’t burned it up, but this is his first healthy season in some time. And his rover-like style when he’s playing well is a joy to watch.
Perhaps I’m shilling too much here for Briere, but to these eyes, he hasn’t really made a wrong move yet. Or one that has been a huge disaster. The juries might still be out on Travis Konecny and Owen Tippett with their extensions. And how Briere walks through the valley of Tortorella when it is time for Tortorella to reposition himself in the organization or just part ways is unclear. A lot still needs to be done. And a lot of questions remain to be answered. Will Kolosov, Fedotov, or Ersson be here in a few seasons? Who will be behind the bench after Tortorella? Can Briere turn the team around quickly enough to lure UFAs in 2026? Will he fall in love with those he signed long-term versus cutting them loose if needed?
All I know is that roughly two years ago an NHL general manager of a team I’ve lived and died with could not trade an expiring contract for a bag of pucks or a seventh-round pick in 2082. Now the Flyers have a general manager who can think outside the box, cuts the strings on players who were once considered lifers, take swings during the NHL Drafts, make three-team deals, and still manages to keep insiders like Elliotte Friedman out of the loop regarding controversy or pending deals. He might not be the greatest NHL GM that ever lived, but Danny Briere seems to be a great fit for a team still dog-paddling through rough waters, with hopefully smoother sailing on the horizon.
