Flyers sign C Briere to eight-year deal

Jul 1, 2007 - 11:18 PM PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Martin Biron must have a lot of influence on Daniel Briere.

One of the most coveted free agents on the mark, Briere on Sunday signed an eight-year contract with the Philadelphia Flyers.

Financial terms were not disclosed, but TSN of Canada is reporting the deal is worth $52 million, with a first-year salary of $10 million - half of which is a signing bonus. Briere made $5 million this past campaign and turned down a reported five-year, $25 million offer by the Sabres last week.

The 29-year-old center had been teammates with Biron in Buffalo since March 2003 before the goaltender was traded to Philadelphia on February 27.

"We are extremely pleased to add Daniel to our roster and eager to get him into our lineup," Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said. "We look for big things from him. Offensively, he is a player capable of doing a lot of good things."

Briere tied his career high with 32 goals and recorded a personal-best - and team-leading - 95 points in 81 games with Buffalo last season. He also made his first All-Star Game appearance, registering a goal and five assists en route to being named the midseason gala's Most Valuable Player.

A co-captain of the Sabres, Briere scored three goals and 15 points in 16 postseason games.

Drafted 24th overall by Phoenix in 1996, Briere has reached the 20-goal plateau each of the last five seasons. In 483 career games with the Coyotes and Sabres, the Quebec native has collected 162 tallies and 214 assists.