Sabre or Traitor: The Legacy of Daniel Briere

by Marc Deschamps

Last week, the Philadelphia Flyers honored Daniel Briere with a ceremonial puck drop and a video showcasing some of the best plays in his career. The Flyers probably could have used their now-retired center when they played Briere’s other former team, the Buffalo Sabres. They lost that evening in a 3-2 overtime final, and on Friday, the Sabres bested the Flyers again, 3-1.

Briere might be one of the most controversial players in the history of the Sabres franchise. As the captain of the team, Briere led the Sabres to two consecutive appearances in the conference finals, quickly establishing himself as a fan favorite. In the summer of 2007, however, Briere would lose that goodwill when he accepted a massive $52 million contract to play with the Flyers. Adding insult to injury, co-captain Chris Drury departed the Sabres at the same time, and the team struggled for years after.

Briere's legacy in Buffalo has been a tainted one since leaving the Sabres. While fans accepted the loss of Drury, Briere's departure was taken a bit more personally. The fact that the Sabres and Flyers have had a strong rivalry since 1975 likely didn't help matters. It's hard to blame Briere for accepting the contract Philadelphia offered, though. At the time, it made Briere the highest paid player in the league. Fans often like to gripe about player salaries, but athletes have a small window where they can get paid for playing professional sports. Briere had an opportunity to find recognition as one of the best players in the league, and it's hard to fault him for embracing that. 

Perhaps another reason Briere's departure still has many fans bitter is the fact that it can be seen as the starting point for the team's darkest period. Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier never truly recovered from the dual loss of Briere and Drury. Their departures kicked off a series of events that eventually led to his firing, and, in a way, even the drafting of Jack Eichel. The team has only been to the playoffs twice since the departure of Briere and Drury. In 2011, the last time the Sabres made the playoffs, Briere and the Flyers eliminated them.

While some fans may still find themselves bitter about Briere's departure, the Sabres' former star doesn't seem to harbor any such hard feelings. Before Tuesday's game, Briere conveyed a message to the Sabres' fanbase, thanking them for his time with the team. During the game, he even took time to speak with Rob Ray and Rick Jeanneret, showering praise on the city and its fan community. 

Time heals all wounds. Like any breakup, eventually, the good times start to become more memorable than the bad. While some fans may still harbor hard feelings about Briere's departure, he was an integral part of the Sabres during an era that most fans remember fondly. With a new GM, coach and several new stars, it's safe to say that the ripple effect from the departure of Daniel Briere and Chris Drury has finally, truly, come to an end. Perhaps it's finally time for the Sabres fanbase to move on, and remember the good times.