note to readers:

Due to a death in my family on FRI this is late updating ... and i will be taking days off later in the week to attend my brother-in-law's funeral.

**

If the Flyers were to get just one All-Star - and I think they will have at least 2 _ then my pick is Danny Briere.

I think it's a no-brainer. No Flyer forward has been as consistent all season as Briere. None can say he has centered ONE line the entire first half save for 2 games.

I also feel he's been responsible for more clutch goals than any other forward.

Chris Pronger's injury is going to cost him. Plus, I feel Pronger would turn down an invite just because he wants to be healthy in the second half.

If you use the Simon Gagne logic of 2001 on Claude Giroux, he is a valuable commodity that would benefit more from an All-Star appearance than Briere. But his goal slump of late - 8 straight games - could weigh against him with NHL Hockey Ops who will choose this group tomorrow.

I asked Briere if he wanted to go or if he wanted rest. As always, he gave me an honest reply.

"Good question,” Briere said. “I’d like to be named. It’s quite an honor. But the funny thing is, on this team, if I were on any other team around the league, I’d have good shot. Not with this team with so many guys having good years. It makes it difficult.”

Here's my story on CSNPhilly.com:

click here

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