Despite their massive struggles down the stretch – which resulted in the firing of coach John Tortorella – Flyers GM Daniel Briere sees light at the end of the tunnel and is willing to potentially part with first round picks to get his team over the hump, per Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. As LeBrun reports, Briere told The Athletic last week that the goal for the franchise is not just compete or “squeeze into the playoffs,” but rather be a contender year in and year out.
With three first-round selections in this year’s upcoming draft (including two they acquired via trades) and four second-round selections, Briere may have the assets needed to bring in NHL-ready talent. Briere noted he likes having the opportunity to make the Flyers more competitive as soon as possible. As the team has firmly been in a rebuild the last several seasons, it stands to reason Briere and President of Hockey Operations Keith Jones (both Philly legends in their own right) would now look to expedite the process. Briere took over as GM of the Flyers on March 17, 2023 and in the 2023-24 season, the upstart Flyers impressed to the tune of a 38-33-11 record, narrowly missing the playoffs but showcasing the potential of the roster. However, the team came falling back down to earth this season and currently hold a 30-36-9 mark on the year. After dismissing Tortorella, Briere noted the organization needed to move to the “next chapter.” It appears that chapter may also include selling off draft assets to improve the current roster.