2023-10-26 17:53:08
For nearly five years, Daniel Brière learned the ropes of his second career in Maine, near where the terrible Lewiston massacre took place. The man who is now general manager of the Philadelphia Flyers is touched straight to the heart by the tragedy.
“It’s really scary! All my thoughts are with the families of the victims,” said the former forward, who played 973 games in the NHL, spontaneously when he recalled The Journal.
Shortly following his retirement, Brière joined the Flyers organization. Starting in June 2017, he successively held the roles of vice-president of hockey operations, general manager and president of the Maine Mariners, a team affiliated with the Flyers in the ECHL and located in Portland, 45 minutes from Lewiston.
When the sad events occurred on Tuesday, Brière immediately feared the worst, especially since his son Cameron works for the organization as a video coach.
“We have all our hockey staff who work near there. My boy is on the team. You imagine the worst, in your first thoughts. “It’s so sad for the people who lost their loved ones and their families,” he said.
No loved ones affected
Despite the difficult shock to absorb, Brière indicated that at first glance, no one in the Flyers organization had been directly affected by the events.
“Last I heard, everyone in our organization is fine, but there are so many people out there who have lost loved ones, friends, family. It’s really hard for the rest of them,” he murmured.
For Brière, there is reason to feel cold. Until February of last year, he spent his daily life with the Mariners in Maine.
He keeps in mind an exhibition game his team played a few years ago at the Androscoggin Bank Coliseum, a small 4,000-seat amphitheater in Lewiston.
“I keep thinking that I’ve probably met people who have been caught up in all this madness.
“I was with the team for five years. I spent a lot of time in Maine with the people in the community there. I worked closely with several people who are still in the team’s offices. It hurts when you think regarding how close to you these events can be. Just knowing that my boy is there, it’s scary,” he said.
United to support
According to Briere, the Flyers are already in communication with people in the Lewiston community regarding how to organize help. The team also intends to join its efforts with those of the Boston Bruins, some of whose players play with the Mariners.
“We want to help and we will all work together,” promised Brière, who still cannot come to terms with the idea that such murderous madness might have struck Maine, usually so peaceful.
“I might never have imagined such a tragedy in Maine. It’s so close to Quebec that it’s almost part of our home, in a way.
“It’s really not my goal to get into the political side, but all I can say is that it still forces you to ask a lot of questions.”
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