Flyers: 8 Years to Briere? Here's a theory..

Signing Briere to an 8 year contract will take him to 37 years old and unlikely to earn the cap space he will occupy. After thinking about it though, I think the Flyers used a long contract term to lower the average per year (which is how the cap works) to $6.5m. At $6.5 a year against the cap, the Flyers can now afford to sign another impact player....this year. A nice second tier player could be lured here now that the Flyers can call themselves a contender. As for looking ahead, I'm sure Holmgren is betting the $6.5 million cap hit in 8 years won't be as constraining as it is the current cap structure.

Briere a Flyer?

It appears the Flyers have chosen their future center, Daniel Briere. Briere immediately makes the Flyers a playoff contender. Flyers have made tremendous strides in reloading after their worst season ever. I still like Gomez better as a Flyer, but Briere will bring excitement, speed, and creativity to a roster than will thrive around him. I admit, I thought Buffalo would offer him more than they did.
Schneider signed for over $11 million for 2 years at 38 years old? And everyone criticized the Flyers signing of Timonen. Don't they feel dumb. With so many teams well under the new cap, contract amounts were sure to be underestimated.

Younger Gomez Better Fit for Flyers

NHL Free Agency is here. GM's are working back channels to position themselves for a blitzkrieg come Sunday. Expect the Flyers to be among the teams attempting quick strikes. The Big 3 (Briere, Drury, & Gomez) are the most mentioned targets for the Flyers, but I don't know how realistically available they all are. Buffalo will likely sign at least one of their own, if not both. Buffalo has tendered offers to keep both their prized stars, but both contracts are rumored to be too low to snare either. Drury will likely return to the West, leaving Gomez as the only realistic target. Gomez is also the youngest and the best suited for the Flyers. He has the best mix of speed, size, and playoff experience and a long contract term would not bite the Flyers on the back end. It may take over $7m to lure the 2 time Cup winner from the Rangers who could have the inside track based on Scott's personal preference.
Flyers do have other options, however, overspending on any of the remaining free agent centers should not be in their plans. Go for the best available players! Their cap space is a little over $9m, but they can shed some more salary through trades. If Gomez signs elsewhere, Flyers should look at signing Souray and Smyth. Souray would lay to rest the dreadful power play that has haunted the Flyers for years. He's the only Free Agent on the market that can guarantee to deliver the the Flyers their power play woes. His defense liabilities can be overcome by a sound defensive system and a very capable core...which is now improved, but still in question. Smyth is a Flyer to the core. I am actually surprised how little attention he has gotten as a prospective signing. He's a gamer.
Now they would still have to address their center position, but the Flyers need to stay away from Nylander and Forsberg. If Souray and Smyth could be signed, the Flyers' cap crunch would force them to a cheaper alternative where Pitkanen could be used to bring in a capable first line center. It won't be what they need, but they don't need an aging center that could breakdown during the course of the season. Take a look at face off specialist Perreault at a bargain price, maybe, but don't look to the fading stars.