Danny Briere explains who he looked up to during his ascent to GM.
It's not uncommon, especially in the NHL, for former NHL stars to aspire to become scouts, assistant GMs, or even general managers and presidents. Many, after retiring, try to join a team to learn from various management members, gaining a grasp of the job's intricacies and how to run an NHL organization.
Numerous former stars, such as Steve Yzerman and Joe Sakic, have excelled as managers and team builders, settling into management roles. The recently appointed general manager, Danny Briere, of the Flyers, shares these aspirations due to his excellent playing career. During his time with the Flyers, he scored 53 goals, had 63 assists for 116 points, and was a playoff contributor in 124 Stanley Cup playoff games for five NHL organizations.
As he embarked on his management career and aspired to be a general manager, he discussed his role models and those he admired throughout the process.
"Since I began playing, I envisioned myself more in a management role than as a coach," Briere said. "I was particularly interested in how teams were constructed. This interest likely began during my time in Buffalo, where Darcy Regier had an influence. Later, during my time here, I observed how Paul Holmgren was building the team. Then, in Montreal, working with Marc Bergevin, we progressed to the conference finals."
"I also witnessed Joe Sakic's rebuilding efforts in Colorado. I was present in the early stages of his rebuild, around the second year, and observed his approach. I've always been engrossed in this field. It's an area I'm passionate about. I didn't engage in this with the expectation of becoming a GM one day, but it was something I hoped for�to eventually have the opportunity to construct my own team."
"I also witnessed Joe Sakic's rebuilding efforts in Colorado. I was present in the early stages of his rebuild, around the second year, and observed his approach. I've always been engrossed in this field. It's an area I'm passionate about. I didn't engage in this with the expectation of becoming a GM one day, but it was something I hoped for�to eventually have the opportunity to construct my own team."
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Now, holding the GM position, Briere has taken his initial steps in the role. He orchestrated trades involving Ivan Provorov and Kevin Hayes and executed a draft, selecting highly regarded forward Matvey Mischke in the 2023 NHL draft.
Overall, he deserves commendation for commencing the team's rebuilding process. However, significant challenges lie ahead, as uncertainties persist regarding the team composition in the upcoming years and whether these draft selections, including Tyson Foerster, Emil Andrae, Eliot Desnoyers, and Bobby Brink, will yield positive results.
We await the outcome of his inaugural full season as GM in the upcoming year, anticipating its impact on the team's trajectory over the next two to three years.
| POLL | ||
30 AOUT | 77 ANSWERS Danny Briere explains who he looked up to during his ascent to GM. Will Danny Briere do a great job as the GM of the Flyers? | ||
| Yes | 67 | 87 % |
| No | 10 | 13 % |
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