Daniel Brière retains only positive things from his experiences with Hockey Canada. He participated twice in the World Senior Championship, once in the World Juniors, and even once in a certain Copa Mexico, an under-18 tournament that has since become the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. Four tournaments, four gold medals.
Except that Hockey Canada, at the time, still had an enviable reputation. Today, it’s an organization that too often makes headlines for the wrong reasons.
Brière is well aware of this and that’s why when his good friend Shane Doan called him for help, he agreed.
“I’ve always wanted to get involved with Hockey Canada, because I’ve always had great experiences,” he notes on the phone.
“But I also know they let a lot of people down. They are in transition right now. If I can help get them back on track, I’m happy to lend a hand. »
The Spengler Cup in Davos
For the first time in his leadership career, Brière will be involved in the national program. It will be in a minor role, as assistant to Doan (the general manager) for the Spengler Cup, a nearly century-old annual tournament, which begins on Monday, and which comes with the obligation to spend the holiday season in Davos. Real torture.
As a player, to his great regret, he never took part, even though he played in Switzerland in 2004-2005. That year, only players established full-time in Europe were invited, not those from the NHL who were looking to keep fit during the lockout.
“I especially wanted to go there for the historical side, and because it is a rather special place. I played a few times in Davos, I faced them in the playoffs. It’s a wonderful place! I would have liked to spend more time there. »
Brière will however have to wait before smelling the mountain air.
With all the changes in recent months at Hockey Canada, Doan called him late, and Briere works full-time for the Philadelphia Flyers, let’s not forget.
The former number 48 was planning to spend the holidays in Halifax, to attend the Junior World Championship; he did not change his plans. His Spengler Cup will therefore be teleworking.
Introduction to administrative tasks
Time flies, but only 11 months ago, Brière was a finalist for the position of general manager of the Canadian.
Kent Hughes landed the job, but Briere did not leave empty-handed. In addition to having gone through a hiring process, he was entitled to a promotion with the Flyers. From simple consultant, he became special assistant to the general manager.
PHOTO MATT ROURKE, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES
Daniel Brière became special assistant to the general manager with the Philadelphia Flyers.
His presence at the World Juniors says a lot about his new tasks. “My time is divided between amateur recruiting, professional recruiting, player development and the current team,” he describes. He also participated in John Tortorella’s job interviews as head coach.
On the amateur recruiting side, he focuses on “the players who will come out in the first two rounds”. He has already seen Connor Bedard in person “seven or eight times”. “I confirm that it is good! “, he jokes.
When we called, he was not on special assignment, but rather in Philadelphia, where things are getting a little hot. With a 5-2-0 record after 7 games, the Flyers suffered 10 straight losses in November. The absences of Sean Couturier, Cam Atkinson and Ryan Ellis from the start obviously didn’t help.
“I love what I do, I have fun like crazy even if it’s hard to win,” he says.
I still have my nose in it, I’m there every day, unless I’m on the road. I saw the frustration that we live here. But what excites me is the chance to put my touch for the future of the Flyers.
Daniel Brière, special assistant to the general manager of the Philadelphia Flyers
In short, that’s a lot of additional tasks since his interview to become GM of the Habs. Looking back, does he think he would have been ready for such a position?
“I know there are a lot of things that I don’t know, that I have to learn. I know I will always have more to learn. Would I have been ready? Hard to say. But I don’t do my job saying to myself: I have to become CEO. If it happens, it happens. I’m so happy with the Flyers that I don’t have to push to find myself a job of DG. I could stay here for several years. »
There are currently only two Quebec GMs, Hughes and Julien BriseBois, in addition to Martin Brodeur, who is the Devils’ senior vice-president of hockey operations. With Brière, Mathieu Darche (Lightning) and Roberto Luongo (Panthers) climbing the ranks, the Quebec contingent could increase before long.