Well, that was a swing and a miss for Daniel Briere. The Flyers general manager signed Anaheim’s Leo Carlsson to a five year offer sheet, an $18 million AAV deal that the Ducks, naturally, matched. Seriously, what was the point? Some folks are out there saying it’s admirable Briere even took the chance. But come on, “admirable” doesn’t win you anything. It certainly doesn’t land you Carlsson. This was a chance for Briere to actually make a statement, to enforce his will on opposing general managers, and instead, he got shut down.
You Gotta Show Some Teeth, Danny!
This isn’t only about trying, folks. This is about *doing*. You think Pat Verbeek, the Ducks GM, was intimidated by that offer? Not even close. You can practically hear the legendary columnist Stangelo Truckini screaming about it: Briere needed to make an offer Verbeek couldn’t refuse. We’re talking Vito Corleone levels of conviction here, pulling Verbeek into a darkened office, tuxedos, all the goons. Stangelo even suggested trotting out the Broad Street Bullies, who, despite being in their seventies, are still tough as hell. Who’s gonna say no to Dave “The Hammer” Schultz? Nobody, that’s who! Fuhgeddaboudit! Briere needed to be relentless, to stop at nothing. Instead, he made an offer that was, let’s be honest, easily matched.
Learning From the True Power Players
If Briere wants to play in the big leagues, he needs to take a page from guys who truly get it. Look at the Eagles’ Howie Roseman. The man reportedly clawed his way out of a prison under Veterans Stadium and came back with a vengeance. He understands that the salary cap is as fake as all the worldwide currencies. Roseman stops at nothing. Compare that to Briere’s move. He simply signed Carlsson to an offer sheet and gave the Ducks the chance to match. That’s it. Stangelo even laid out some wilder, more conniving options for Briere: kidnapping Verbeek’s family for Carlsson’s safe return or pulling off a heist to steal Carlsson and replace him with a “lesser player that looks similar,” like a “Leon Carlsburg.” That’s absurd, yeah, but it highlights the frustration: Briere just let the Ducks swoop in and match. It’s like Yoda said: do or do not, there is no try! Even Ed Snider knew that when he ordered Paul Holmgren to bring in Ilya Bryzgalov. You don’t “try” to get a goaltender; you go get him.
This isn’t just about one player. This is about Briere’s approach. Does he have what it takes to truly compete, to make things happen? Or are we just going to see more easily matched offers? The pressure is on for Briere to prove he can play in the big leagues.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Broad Street Hockey.
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