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Daniel Briere – Former Arizona Coyotes Center Retires

By William Grigsby

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At Age 37, Former Arizona Coyotes Center Daniel Briere Calls It Quits

He played 17 seasons in the NHL, including six with the Arizona (then Phoenix) Coyotes. He really only played four full seasons with the Yotes due to being sent back down to the AHL’s Springfield Falcons, who just coincidentally are the new AHL affiliate for the Desert Dogs this upcoming season.

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In his first professional season in 1998, he collected 92 points in 68 games, and was awarded the Dudley “Red” Garrett Memorial Award as top rookie, as well as being named the AHL’s First Team All-Star center. He remains the third leading scorer in Falcons’ franchise history.

He finally earned a full-time roster position with the Coyotes for the ’01-’02 season. It would be his best Coyotes offensive output, scoring 32 goals, and 28 assists for 60 points.

At his size (5’9″), he knew he had to sustain himself in a rigid training program to compete in the NHL. Because of his size, he had exceptional speed, and used it to his advantage. He really was just coming into his own as a NHL player when on March 10, 2003 he was traded to the Buffalo Sabres for Chris Gratton along with the teams swapping draft picks in the 2004 Entry Draft. The trade that sent Daniel Briere to the Buffalo Sabres by then GM Mike Barnett, was listed as one of the 30 worst trades in the NHL Western Conference history by Sportsnet.

Per a story in bleacherreport.com:

Briere, 37, spent the 2014-15 season with the Colorado Avalanche. He had eight goals and four assists in 57 appearances, his worst marks in more than a decade. While there were questions about how much he had left in the tank, Briere said his decision largely came down to wanting to spend more time with his three children, who are based in the Northeast.

"“The kids were resilient and they hung in there,” Briere told Scott Burnside of ESPN.com in July. “But you come to a point where you have to think about your life, their life, and who you’re affecting with your decisions. As hockey players, you do something your whole life, and the decisions you have to make get tougher and tougher.”"

Known as a clutch playoff performer, Daniel Briere’s playoff record is impeccable, and his former coach Peter Laviolette told reporters in 2012 of Briere’s knack for coming through in the clutch.

“He fits the bill, and I’m not saying it because he scored the goal or scored a couple of games. I’m saying it because over the course of 100 games, he’s been able to produce at a high level.”

As far a his career here in Arizona, one can only guess how much he would have helped the Coyotes at that point in his career. He can rest assured that his play here was respected and valued.

Now, like many other NHL stars who retire, he can look forward to spending more time with his family. He would definitely be able to coach in some capacity if he desires. He is an all-around class act.

Thank you, Daniel Briere for a great NHL career, we enjoyed watching you play.

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