Well, as anticipated, the NHL Players’ Association has filed a grievance against the Philadelphia Flyers for terminating Ryan Johansen’s contract on account of a “material breach.”
On August 20, the Flyers put Johansen on unconditional waivers for the aim of terminating his contract, and accomplished the termination course of the next day. From there, the NHLPA had 60 days to file a grievance on Johansen’s behalf–at present is that day. For a extra in-depth clarification of the method and why the Flyers went this route, we've a primer from BSH’s personal lawyer-in-residence.
The 32-year outdated Johansen had one 12 months remaining on his contract, with a cap hit of $4 million because the Nashville Predators had retained 50% of his wage in a commerce that despatched him to the Colorado Avalanche in the summertime of 2023. Johansen joined the Flyers on the 2024 commerce deadline as half of the return–alongside a 1st-round decide–for the commerce that despatched Sean Walker to the Avs.
It was instantly clear the Flyers didn't need Johansen within the locker room, as he’s developed a popularity in some league circles and has clashed with head coach John Tortorella earlier than, again once they had been on the Blue Jackets collectively. In the wake of the commerce, the Flyers put Johansen on waivers to ship him to Lehigh Valley to affix the Phantoms, however throughout that course of it was revealed Johansen was battling an damage; groups can't waive injured gamers, so Johansen’s contract sat on the books for the rest of the 2023-24 season. Teams additionally can't purchase out injured gamers, which meant the Flyers had been carrying Johansen’s contract all summer time and–had they not terminated it–into the 2024-25 season.
What prompted the Flyers to take such drastic motion is up for hypothesis: was Johansen faking his damage? Or refusing staff docs to look at him? Something else? The particulars will certainly come out because the grievance course of unfolds. One factor’s for sure, although: the Flyers wouldn't have pursued a cloth breach contract termination with out a tacit endorsement from the NHL, realizing full nicely the NHLPA would seemingly dispute Johansen’s firing.
Ultimately, one of three issues will occur: the Flyers lose the dispute, and Johansen’s contract goes again on the books and places them over the cap; the Flyers and Johansen settle in the same method to how Corey Perry and the Chicago Blackhawks settled final 12 months; or the Flyers win and have Johansen’s cap cleaned off the books. Two out of these three outcomes profit the Flyers (by placing them beneath the cap ceiling), so the danger seems value it. If there’s no decision within the subsequent few months, then the case will probably be introduced earlier than an arbitrator–and neither facet will need that.
This is a creating story and will probably be up to date as extra data turns into obtainable.
