Briere in, Matheson out

UPDATE: Daniel Briere was named to the starting lineup of the NHL Eastern all-star team last night by fan balloting. Eat it up Jim. Where's Gomez by the way?

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from: December 4, 2006

Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal says:

Never mind Rick DiPietro getting that ridiculous 15-year, $67-million deal in Long Island from his boss Charles Wang. How about the arbitrator handing Buffalo's Daniel Briere $5 million US this season off 58 points last year? You think he's worth that? You think Briere, while feisty and quick, will get as many points as Jersey's Scott Gomez, who got $5M US, too, from a salary judge? Me neither.

I nearly shit my pants when I read this at the beginning of the season. Not just because I love Danny Briere and I think he should have made the last World Cup and Olympic teams(he clicked with Heatley in the 2004 Worlds (2g, 6a, 8pts) and at the 2003 Worlds), but because this Matheson joker completely ignores that Briere only played in 48 games due to a hernia removal. He was on pace for 99 points if he played the full 82 game schedule, which would have been good for 8th spot in the league. Gomez, meanwhile, had 84 respectable points in a full 82 games. Maybe Matheson can't do math (which would be ironic).

Oh and should we ignore the fact that Briere had 8 G and 11 A for 19 points in 18 playoff games last spring, too?

So far this year, Briere has 10G, 20A for 30 points in 26 games (+5), while Gomez has 3 G, 12 A for 15 points in 17 games (-2). The fact that Buffalo is an offensive powerhouse (113 goals for, 1st in the league) and New Jersey is not (62 goals for, last in the Eastern Conference), only gives further credence to Briere's case. Lastly, Briere has to compete for ice time (especially power play) on a team that is very deep at the center position (Drury, Roy, etc.). Gomez does not have this problem (Parise, Madden, etc.).

Briere will keep up to and likely put up better numbers than Gomez. If anything, Briere is underpaid this season if you are comparing him to Scott Gomez.

Jim Matheson, you should be fired for your indiscretions and slander! Someone who is in the Hockey Hall of Fame for this kind of stuff should be better than this.