Daniel Briere

Hey, guys.

No, I mean, it was ideal that the cup was given out, but no, we had been working on it probably last week for a few days and looking at

Different scenarios and going back and forth.

I think we're all glad.

I'm sure Toronto is also glad that it's finally done and we can move on.

It changed the makeup of things a little bit.

Sam Erson, to start with Sam Erson and Nat, Sam was drafted by us, grew up in this organization, well-liked, loved both of them, both players actually loved by their teammates, really, really good players.

good people.

Um, we just felt with Sam that it was, it was time for a change of scenery.

Um, the guy is a battler.

Um, people tend to focus sometimes a little too much on just the numbers with him.

If you watch him in, in key moments, uh, every year he seems to have a, a winning record.

Um, you know, but sometimes you get caught up with the save percentage and the average, uh,

goals per game.

So it's deeper than that with him.

He's a battler.

He's a gamer.

Coming down the stretch, if we didn't have him, we would not have made the playoffs.

I know he had a first tap that was a little dicey last year, but he bounced back and played really well for us.

for us down the stretch and gave us a chance to get into the playoffs.