Each team, under the new CBA that goes into effect next week, is allowed two amnesty buyouts of big salaries. Why not punish teams for past sins? Cap compliance, of course. The Flyers have two very large contracts that don't look very practical: those of goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov and forward Danny Briere. Briere has been informed that he will be the first of the two buyouts, according to CSN Philly. The buyout will go into effect two days after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Briere struggled this season for the Flyers, scoring only six goals and 16 points. His decreasing regular season output, coupled with his age (he's 35), might keep teams away, but he won't command a hugely high salary on the open market due to those same reasons. Perhaps a team needing a locker room leader will take a chance on him. After all, he's an outstanding playoff performer, as CSN Philly's Tim Panaccio points out:
Historically, Briere is among the best in the game when it comes to the playoffs, where his level of play jumps dramatically.He has 109 points (50 goals) in 108 playoff games. Coming into this spring's postseason, he was leading the league with 52 playoff points over the previous three years.In 2010 when the Flyers advanced to the Stanley Cup Final against Chicago, Briere led the NHL with 30 points (12 goals) in 23 games.
