Hurricane-force winds of change blew through Flyerland this summer. Among others, gone are the Orange and Black’s leading goal scorer, one of their top playmakers, a gritty, fan-favorite tough guy, and, perhaps most shockingly, the team’s captain.
The prestigious Flyers “C” is up for grabs. Who is next in line to receive the honor? More importantly, who should receive the honor?
Shortly after former captain Mike Richards was traded to Los Angeles, CSNphilly.com’s Tim Panaccio wrote that veteran defenseman Chris Pronger would be offered the position. Nothing has happened as of yet. Other viable candidates include Danny Briere and Kimmo Timonen. All three players have been captains during previous NHL stops. You can’t go wrong with any of the three but there is one clear choice here, and it’s not Chris Pronger. It’s Danny Briere.
That might ruffle some feathers but I really feel that Briere has to be the guy. Why? Please allow me to explain.
With all of the roster changes and upheaval over the past few months, the Flyers’ core has gotten even younger than it already was. Claude Giroux is 23. Wayne Simmonds is 23. James van Riemsdyk is 22. Jakub Voracek is 22. Brayden Schenn is 20.
Briere has more of a calming personality whereas Pronger is more assertive. That isn’t to say Danny won’t get in someone’s face if he needs to. Remember him laying into the team during an intermission of Game 6 in Buffalo last spring? The calm type of leadership Briere brings will be essential to this young group with the shoes they have to fill and the pressure that will be on them. I know that Briere is no spring chicken, he will be 34 when the season begins in Boston on October 6th, but he seems like he is more in touch with the younger guys than Pronger is. The shadow that Chris Pronger casts could be too much too soon for this young group.
Many people around the organization are downplaying the talk that Pronger’s injuries and the potential that he could miss the start of the season could effect the captaincy decision. I’m not downplaying that talk. It’s a real issue.
Do you really want this new group of Flyers starting the season without their leader on the ice? I don’t. As I mentioned before, the pressure will be on from the get go this season. Locker room stability and confidence need to be there from the get go too. Heaven forbid the Flyers stumble out of the gate, they are going to want their leader there, already in place. No one really knows the extent of Pronger’s injuries and how much time he could potentially miss. You can’t risk not having your captain for the start of the regular season. Danny Briere will be healthy and motivated for the start of the season. All the more reason for #48 to wear the “C”.
Lets face it, Chris Pronger is Chris Pronger. He has a reputation around the league and in the locker room for a reason. He is a bull that won’t take guff from anybody. He is also incredibly well respected for the same reason. At this point in his career, does he really need the “C”? No, he doesn’t. He will have his say no matter if he wears a letter or not. He’s a born leader. I mean, he pretty much has been the de facto captain of this team for the past two seasons anyway. That’s just who he is. It’s the way he’s always been and it’s the way he’s going to continue to be.
In a hockey-crazed city like Philadelphia, the “C” just means more, a concept that Mike Richards didn’t seem to completely grasp. When something is up, the fans and local media will make a beeline straight to the captain for some answers. Danny Briere won’t blow off the questions like Richards did or try to use humor like Pronger tends to do. Briere gives straightforward answers with refreshing honesty. He will tell you if the team was awful that night or where improvement is needed. He can handle Philly media fire better than most, and, for a predominately younger team, that is of the utmost importance. That’s also the kind of leader the Philadelphia fan base loves and adores. We need him as much as the team does.
I know some, possibly most, of you don’t agree with me but I really feel that Danny Briere has to be the next captain of the Philadelphia Flyers. Here’s hoping the organization feels the same way I do, makes the right decision, and puts the “C” on #48’s chest.
It’s too late for Pronger to be Flyers C with his ongoing health issues..
He probably won’t even play 50 games during the Regular Season..
Brierre is not a bad choice for he’s a veteran and plays hard every game
I was thing Claude Giroux, but he still may be a little green for assuming this role and with the Flyers experience with the young M Richards for the last couple of seasons, I see them going with a Veteran player this time around
G??? Did you really write this?
I agree with you that he would be the best with the Philly media because of the reasons you stated. But I disagree that Pronger wouldn’t be good for the young guys. If you go over and look at Bill Meltzer’s blog on Hockeybuzz from yesterday he tells a story about how Pronger looks out for everyone, including the young guys. Briere’s latest interview on CSN also points out that, in the locker room, it’s a shared captaincy and not really that big of a deal.
No Giroux yet. Give him another 2 years and he and JVR will be fighting for the C. Briere has shown leadership skills that he didn’t have earlier in his career. Love it when he mixes it up with dude’s twice his size. I am ok with him being the captain or Pronger.
Personally prefer Briere as next captain. He’s got an excellent rapport with players, past & present teams, and is an effective speaker with media. Pronger’s cool wit isn’t understood by many and he’s reluctant to speak at length with media. Who would want an interview with Panaccio after tough games?! And possibly not having Pronger there for first couple months of season or missing some practices is unproductive. Pronger deserves the “A” in any case and would continue to lead in the locker room and on ice regardless. Timmonen will retire soon; not good choice.