It looks as though there is going to be a big legal battle that's about to begin between the Philadelphia Flyers and Ryan Johansen after his contract was terminated.
Ryan Johansen was placed on waivers today by the Philadelphia Flyers because the team determined that he was involved in what they describe as a 'material breach of contract'. Johansen was acquired by the Flyers when they made a trade with the Colorado Avalanche, and following this trade, he never reported to his new team. When he was asked why he never reported to Philadelphia, Johansen said it was due to an injury he was dealing with, but the Flyers weren't buying that reason.
Experts and fans around the league said the reason they believed Ryan Johansen wasn't reporting to Philly was because he wanted to avoid being coached by his arch nemesis, John Tortorella again, as he has already had his fair share of issues with him.
The Flyers decision to terminate Ryan Johansen's contract today proves that they officially didn't buy Johansen's reasoning, and they felt like he was just trying to collect a paycheque and avoid being a true teammate to the rest of the players on the Flyers.
Many are saying that there was never any mention of an injury before he was traded to Philadelphia, and then it magically just appeared.
Very well known NHL insider Chris Johnston has revealed that Ryan Johansen only has 60 days to file a grievance against the Flyers, and it's nothing new as many NHL players have done that in the past. What normally happens in these situations is that the two sides find some common ground that sees the player receive some sort of compensation, usually not the full amount of the contract, and then both sides go their separate ways for good.
We will likely be hearing about this legal battle for quite some time as these type of situations don't usually resolve right away. In terms of what happens to Ryan Johansen now, he essentially becomes an unrestricted free agent (UFA) as of noon tomorrow, but he could also be claimed on waivers until then, but that likely won't happen due to his high salary. Some experts already feel that some teams have already expressed interest in signing him once he hits the open market.
Ryan Johansen was drafted back in 2010 with the 4th overall pick by the Columbus Blue Jackets and has played in a total of 905 career NHL games. He's managed to score 202 goals and have 578 points. He is only 32, so he's likely still got several good years of playing time ahead.
