2024-25 Roster Thread #1: The Beginninging

[Juicy Pop]

Did he even move offices? They probably just changed the plaque on the one he had.

"Briere had no ties to the Flyers" despite working for the team owned by Flyers management is also a banger.

It's just a sticker on the name plate and they don't bother to remove the old ones.

 

[ponder719]

Comcast is a corporation. They are not "Flyers management."
They own numerous subsidiaries.
There's a huge difference.

Comcast Spectacor is an American sports and entertainment company based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It owns the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League, the Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League, the Seoul Infernal[1] of the Overwatch League, and formerly owned the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association and the Maine Mariners of the ECHL

Care to try again?

 

[Hanover Fist]

Comcast is a corporation. They are not "Flyers management."
They own numerous subsidiaries.
There's a huge difference.

After retiring as a player at the end of the 2014-15 season, Briere began his ascent into management by returning to the Flyers organization in 2017 to run the Maine Mariners (an ECHL team formerly known as the Alaska Aces that was purchased by Comcast-Spectacor). The team was relocated to Portland Maine and began play in the fall of 2018 with Briere running the day-to-day operations of the club and working with Paul Holmgren who was the team’s Governor at the time (as well as President of the Flyers).

Where is the huge difference?

 

[freakydallas13]

Comcast is a corporation. They are not "Flyers management."
They own numerous subsidiaries.
There's a huge difference.

You're right that "Flyers Management" and "Comcast" aren't the same thing, but you're out to lunch if you think working for a different hockey team owned by Comcast means you are not associated with the Flyers.

That's like saying a GM of the Phantoms has no Flyers affiliations. The Flyers and the Phantoms are more closely linked than the Flyers and that other random ECHL team Comcast owns, but you can't deny they are in the same association sphere.

 

[deadhead]

You're right that "Flyers Management" and "Comcast" aren't the same thing, but you're out to lunch if you think working for a different hockey team owned by Comcast means you are not associated with the Flyers.

That's like saying a GM of the Phantoms has no Flyers affiliations. The Flyers and the Phantoms are more closely linked than the Flyers and that other random ECHL team Comcast owns, but you can't deny they are in the same association sphere.

Reading is linked to the Flyers, but not as closely as the Phantoms.
Maine had no link to the Flyers, no players or staff or history.

Briere was being groomed, but not necessarily for the GM job.

It's common for senior executives to identify up and comers and create a career path for them.
The "special assistant" post was created so he could observe the inner workings of the FO, and evaluate personnel - for all we know, he was being trained to advise Scott's replacement, not be GM.

However, it was the perfect training for the job, he got to see everyone in action before he became their boss.

 

[Hanover Fist]

So what regular player is traded first?

Joel Farabee

Reading is linked to the Flyers, but not as closely as the Phantoms.
Maine had no link to the Flyers, no players or staff or history.

Briere was being groomed, but not necessarily for the GM job.

It's common for senior executives to identify up and comers and create a career path for them.
The "special assistant" post was created so he could observe the inner workings of the FO, and evaluate personnel - for all we know, he was being trained to advise Scott's replacement, not be GM.

However, it was the perfect training for the job, he got to see everyone in action before he became their boss.

No link? PH was the Governor of the Mariners while also President of the Flyers

 

[Flyerfan4life]

So what regular player is traded first?

MM

 

[freakydallas13]

Reading is linked to the Flyers, but not as closely as the Phantoms.
Maine had no link to the Flyers, no players or staff or history.

Briere was being groomed, but not necessarily for the GM job.

It's common for senior executives to identify up and comers and create a career path for them.
The "special assistant" post was created so he could observe the inner workings of the FO, and evaluate personnel - for all we know, he was being trained to advise Scott's replacement, not be GM.

However, it was the perfect training for the job, he got to see everyone in action before he became their boss.

I can kind of see what you are getting at, but I have to do a lot of squinting to see it.

Much more likely Briere has been in the plans and around the Flyers the entire time he's been around Comcast, especially considering how incestuous the Flyers as an organization are.

 

[FlyerNutter]

Reading is linked to the Flyers, but not as closely as the Phantoms.
Maine had no link to the Flyers, no players or staff or history.

Briere was being groomed, but not necessarily for the GM job.

It's common for senior executives to identify up and comers and create a career path for them.
The "special assistant" post was created so he could observe the inner workings of the FO, and evaluate personnel - for all we know, he was being trained to advise Scott's replacement, not be GM.

However, it was the perfect training for the job, he got to see everyone in action before he became their boss.

I’ve always found that in a job setting, a lower tier employee that is groomed for higher level positions - has the balls to remove those who got them into said higher position.

 

[deadhead]

Briere was President in 2021-22. VP from 2018 to 2021.

Holmgren and Briere came in 2017 to reorganize the Alaska Aces and move the franchise to Maine.
Can't find any mention of Holmgren after that season.
Probably was brought in to launch the team, then handed over the keys to the car.

Ranger, then Bruins affiliate.
So Briere would have worked with their AHL affiliates and staff.

 

[renberg]

I believe that Briere was seen as just an ex-jock hanging around like a lot of the former Flyers are until he connected with Valerie Camillo. She told him to go to Wharton and take classes. When he did that she saw him as being serious about getting into management. There were no openings for him with the Flyers at that time so she offered him a chance to apprentice under Fletcher which he agreed to do. He observed Fletcher not much more. I don’t assume that he facilitated or was asked for approval of CF’s moves. He was under consideration for the GM job in Montreal but decided to stick with the Flyers. When CF got canned, he moved into the GM role.
Tortorella had already been hired as coach. So he’s dealing with an imposed coach. At some point here Briere is going to need to step in and assert himself and put his stamp on the club. He’s allowed Tortorella too much leeway regarding things that are the venue of the GM. Right now this club is going nowhere but down. Players might be a problem but coaches are hired in order to find a way to get the most out of what they have.
Tortorella doesn’t see the modern game and understand how to compete in it. Unless he recognizes that and respectfully walks away from it, he’s going to put Briere and Jones in the difficult position of having to fire him. The grease fire that started at the end of last season is only continuing. He’s not going to turn it around. He’ll try to put it on the players which will only make things worse. The exchange between him and Seeler on the bench last night was only the tip of the iceberg. The players look to have had it with him.

 

[deadhead]

The exchange between him and Seeler on the bench last night was only the tip of the iceberg. The players look to have had it with him.

HCs and players going at in on the bench is a common occurrance, not just in the NHL but every sports league. Some HCs freak out when their authority is challenged, Torts shrugs his shoulders.

Briere played for Jim Schoenfeld, Bobby Francis, Lindy Ruff, John Stevens, Peter Laviolette, Michel Therrien and Patrick Roy. Suspect he has a feel for different styles of coaching.

Keith Jones played for Terry Murray, Jim Schoenfeld, Marc Crawford, Bob Hartley, Roger Nielson and Craig Ramsey.

 

[freakydallas13]

Some HCs freak out when their authority is challenged, Torts shrugs his shoulders.

Not only is this wrong, there is evidence of the opposite of this at every stop Torts has coached. I can probably come up with half a dozen counter examples from Torts' Canucks stint alone.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Comcast is a corporation. They are not "Flyers management."
They own numerous subsidiaries.
There's a huge difference.

They are literally Flyers management. Hilferty answers to them. He comes from them. All management authority derives from them.

If the day finally comes when the office is purged of all the incompetence, it is only going to come after Comcast Spectacor has ordered/authorized it.

 

[Beef Invictus]

After retiring as a player at the end of the 2014-15 season, Briere began his ascent into management by returning to the Flyers organization in 2017 to run the Maine Mariners (an ECHL team formerly known as the Alaska Aces that was purchased by Comcast-Spectacor). The team was relocated to Portland Maine and began play in the fall of 2018 with Briere running the day-to-day operations of the club and working with Paul Holmgren who was the team’s Governor at the time (as well as President of the Flyers).

Where is the huge difference?

Oh I am f***ing sorry, WHO was the governor of Maine's ECHL club? Can we perhaps emphasize that? That name looks important, I'm pretty sure that guy is tied heavily to the Flyers.

If the management of the Flyers and Maine were the same, and the owners were the same, that would imply some kind of a link. I am positive of this.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Even after the sale, their current CEO was promoted from a Comcast Spectacor lifer. This notion of there being no link and Briere being an outsider is as batty as claiming Snider didn't have anything to do with signing Bryzgalov because Homer gave the contract to his agent.

Edit: Almost their entire office staff has their emails on Comcast Spectacor's domain. Still. That isnt legacy holdouts, they added a dude with email on that domain AFTER the sale!!!!!

 

[Cody Webster]

The goal posts have moved so far apart, they are no longer inside the stadium

 

[Beef Invictus]

I believe that Briere was seen as just an ex-jock hanging around like a lot of the former Flyers are until he connected with Valerie Camillo. She told him to go to Wharton and take classes. When he did that she saw him as being serious about getting into management. There were no openings for him with the Flyers at that time so she offered him a chance to apprentice under Fletcher which he agreed to do. He observed Fletcher not much more. I don’t assume that he facilitated or was asked for approval of CF’s moves. He was under consideration for the GM job in Montreal but decided to stick with the Flyers. When CF got canned, he moved into the GM role.
Tortorella had already been hired as coach. So he’s dealing with an imposed coach. At some point here Briere is going to need to step in and assert himself and put his stamp on the club. He’s allowed Tortorella too much leeway regarding things that are the venue of the GM. Right now this club is going nowhere but down. Players might be a problem but coaches are hired in order to find a way to get the most out of what they have.
Tortorella doesn’t see the modern game and understand how to compete in it. Unless he recognizes that and respectfully walks away from it, he’s going to put Briere and Jones in the difficult position of having to fire him. The grease fire that started at the end of last season is only continuing. He’s not going to turn it around. He’ll try to put it on the players which will only make things worse. The exchange between him and Seeler on the bench last night was only the tip of the iceberg. The players look to have had it with him.

He was credited with the idea of signing Deslauriers

 

[FlyerNutter]

Sir I swear. I wasn’t drinking before taking the wheel of this car.

We’ve reached this level.

 

[deadhead]

He was credited with the idea of signing Deslauriers

Deslauriers was signed in July, 2022.

Briere was the "special assistant" - I doubt he had any real input, CF probably saw him as a spy, looking over his shoulder and reporting to Comcast.

Did a search and found nothing connecting Briere and Deslauriers.

 

[Hollywood Cannon]

Anyone else smell gas?

 

[BiggE]

Putting aside the players, the entire organization needs to burned down. It’s garbage from top to bottom. Hilferty, Jones, Briere, Fatso, the developmental guys, the senior advisors, the coaching staffs at both the NHL & AHL levels all need to go. And, to top it off, Clarke’s phone needs to be permanently blocked.

Until the organization is thoroughly purged, they will go nowhere.

 

[JojoTheWhale]

Deslauriers was signed in July, 2022.

Briere was the "special assistant" - I doubt he had any real input, CF probably saw him as a spy, looking over his shoulder and reporting to Comcast.

Did a search and found nothing connecting Briere and Deslauriers.

The first report of this was December 1st of 2022 from ASF on whatever that awful podcast with Therien is called. So that’s 4 months before Fletcher was even fired.

Here’s a post referencing it.

Post in thread '2022/23 Roster Thread XIII: Where the 13th Floor Has Been Located'
2022/23 Roster Thread XIII: Where the 13th Floor Has Been Located

 

[deadhead]

Fletcher would be President and Briere GM.
Hmm. That worked out well.

You really think Fletcher was happy to work with the guy Comcast had chosen to potentially replace him? I mean at that point Fletcher could see the handwriting on the wall and was just hanging around long enough to collect a few more pay checks (basically his retirement, those were nice pay checks).

Note that Fletcher and Camillo were both "Presidents." Briere was Camillo's protege.
Briere ended up the only one left standing.

Note, Fletcher hadn't worked until he was hired by the NJ Devils this August as a senior advisor.

 

[FlyerNutter]

Fletcher would be President and Briere GM.
Hmm. That worked out well.

You really think Fletcher was happy to work with the guy Comcast had chosen to potentially replace him? I mean at that point Fletcher could see the handwriting on the wall and was just hanging around long enough to collect a few more pay checks (basically his retirement, those were nice pay checks).

Note that Fletcher and Camillo were both "Presidents." Briere was Camillo's protege.
Briere ended up the only one left standing.

Note, Fletcher hadn't worked until he was hired by the NJ Devils this August as a senior advisor.

Collaboration