After a herculean playoff effort that preceded an unfortunate forced retirement due to concussion issues, Primeau is now revered around here, a fixture in that small and privileged club that Moyer would no doubt be part of had he just rode off into the sunset after his gutty performance in Game 3 of the World Series last October.
Which leads to the plight of 31-year-old Danny Briere. Two summers ago, following a disastrous season, the Flyers signed Briere to an 8-year, $52 million contract. Implied in the numbers was that Briere was a star to build around, a guy who would take the pressure off young forwards like Mike Richards and Jeff Carter, make them better. Briere struggled early in his first year here, but he was a big part of an energized and unexpected playoff run that ended that season in the Eastern Conference finals, and his resurgence was one of the reasons even greater things were expected of the maturing Flyers last season.
Those expectations were stomped upon by a team that often seemed indifferent to its maddening inconsistencies, right up to the final regular-season loss to the Rangers at home. Plagued by groin issues all season, Briere was around for only 29 of those games, and he was hardly the player the Flyers paid for when he was on the ice. A lack of mobility affected his quickness, which affected his playmaking and scoring touch.
He scored 11 goals, had 14 assists, and had the fourth-worst goals-against per 60 minutes on the team (2.92). The recurrence of the injury and his inability to play through it was seen in some quarters as a lack of toughness, and by midseason Briere and his big contract became symbolic of Flyers foibles.
Too much money, too little return. He was untradable, an anvil around a team unable to improve because of salary-cap restraints.
His heart was questioned. His guts, too. His head.
