Flyers Honor Danny Briere Tonight, Plus Some News And Notes
The Flyers will be holding a brief little retirement ceremony for Danny Briere tonight before the team’s game against the Buffalo Sabres, the team Briere played with for 4 seasons before joining the Flyers for the next 6. In those 10 seasons combined, Briere had over 200 goals and over 500 points so tonight should be a pretty special one for that tiny little awesome man. That run he went on in the 2010 playoffs is something that Flyers fans will never forget even though Chicago got to skate a victory lap around the Wells Fargo Center instead of the Flyers at the end of it. I already wrote a bunch about Briere when he announced his retirement so I won’t get to into it now, but tonight’s ceremony should be pretty similar to Timonen’s the other week. I can’t imagine there will be a single soul in the WFC tonight that has anything but love and respect for what Danny was able to do in his career, especially as undersized as he is, so it should be a great night for all involved. Especially when the Flyers abuse the Sabres and go off for a big win.
More Flyers News and Notes
– It looks like Michael Raffl will be back in the lineup tonight after taking an elbow to the face and collapsing on the bench Saturday night against New York. It was a scary moment but it seems like he was just really woozy after the hit. Honestly, I don’t think it would be a terrible idea to sit him out for a few more days just as a precautionary measure but if Raffl thinks that he’s good to go then obviously you have to trust that decision.
– Speaking of concussions, Sean Couturier indeed suffered a concussion after that hit from Rinaldo. I already talked way too much about that hit but let’s just give it a couple more sentences. 1) It was a dirty hit. I know Rinaldo didn’t get a suspension out of it but it was still dirty enough to be punished by a 5-minute major + ejection. So sit on a fist if you thought it was 100% clean. 2) After watching the hit at least 20 times, I agree with the DoPS for not suspending Rinaldo for it. Everything they laid out in that video was spot on so I’m over it. Rinaldo sent Coots a little “I’m sorry” text and it’s water under the bridge until the Flyers play the Bruins again. In which case, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone takes a run at him and drops the gloves the first time he touches the ice.
– Luke Schenn is in, Brandon Manning is out tonight. I don’t like how the Flyers blueline has been a revolving door over the past couple of seasons. I understand that they don’t have 6 guys who all deserve to be up with the team every game but I don’t think you’re going to get much out of either L. Schenn or Manning if you keep plugging them in and/or taking them out. But I’d much rather see Schenn out there than Manning because at least you can eventually trade Schenn away for a pick or two.
– Eventually though, the Flyers will have legitimate studs up on the blue line. Let’s take a look at how Travis Sanheim and Ivan Provorov are doing in the WHL so far this season…
Top 5 in scoring among defensemen. Is that good? And while we’re on the subject of Flyers prospects, let’s just in with our boy Travis Konecny…
Konecny currently leads the OHL in scoring soooo yeah, I think the Flyers are going to be set up pretty damn well for the future. It’ll be here before you know it. Not this year, maybe not next year, but the year after that. Just stay patient and trust in Sexy Hexy.
– More Briere: good little read on how Briere has been adapting to the business side of hockey working under Paul Holgren via CSN Philly.
– Still haven’t stopped watching this beauty.
And that should just about do it. Jack Eichel and the Sabres come to town for a 7:00 puck drop (but a little later because of Briere ceremony). No word on whether or not Eichel’s Crocs will make the trip down with the rest of the team.
