Buyout A Possibility For Flyers Briere

It’s been a disappointing 2013 season for the Philadelphia Flyers. More specifically, it’s been a disappointing year for Flyers alternate captain Daniel Briere.

Briere has been plagued by injuries this season — the latest being a concussion that has kept him out for the last two weeks — and his productive has suffered because of it. In 26 games, the former All-Star has just 13 points (5 goals, 8 assists) and is a minus-13. It’s a far cry from the 68 points in 77 games he scored two years ago.

His play, injury issues, and contract have brought up discussion that a buyout could happen over the summer.

From CSN Philly’s Tom Panaccio:

"(Briere) admitted on Thursday he’s playing to remain a Flyer, and that he understands amnesty is a legitimate obstacle right now. He almost concedes it’s going to happen this summer, regardless.“Definitely,” he said. “It’s reality. There’s no doubt about it. But at the same time, those are things I can’t control at this moment. All I can control is for me to come back into the lineup and play as good as I can, to show them. Other than that, I can’t worry about injuries or what they are going to decide to do. That’s out of my control at this point.”"

Briere, 35, has two years remaining on an 8-year, $52-million contract that he signed in the summer of 2007 after spending the previous four years building his star with the Buffalo Sabres.

The Flyers will have to shed salary between now and next season to get under the $64-million salary cap that goes into effect for next year. Currently, the team sits at $65-million for the 2013-2014 season, and removing Briere would take a 6.5$-million cap hit off the team’s hands.

It’s also expected that the team will entertain the idea of buying out goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov in the offseason just two years after signing him as a free agent from Phoenix.