In a shocking turn of events, the Nashville Predators find themselves in a unique situation with some extra cap space potentially on the horizon. The fate of veteran forward Ryan Johansen’s grievance against the Philadelphia Flyers hangs in the balance, leaving general manager Barry Trotz in a state of cautious optimism.
Last Tuesday, the Flyers made a bold move by placing Johansen on waivers, alleging a material breach in his contract. At 32 years old and in the final year of an eight-year, $64 million deal, Johansen’s future with the team was already in question. The Predators had previously retained half of his contract in last year’s trade that sent him to the Colorado Avalanche for forward Alex Galchenyuk. With his termination from the Avalanche, the $4 million cap hit has been lifted off Nashville’s books, but could potentially be reinstated depending on the outcome of Johansen’s grievance. He has a 60-day window from the date of his contract termination to file an appeal.
Trotz addressed the delicate situation on 102.5 The Game, stating, “I have to treat [the money] as if it’s in escrow. I have to act like it’s not there until the final decision is made.”
Johansen’s agent, Kurt Overhardt, fired back with a statement defending his client’s position. “Ryan Johansen has a severe hockey injury that requires extensive surgery which has been scheduled,” the statement read. “The Flyers’ attempt to terminate Ryan’s contract is disappointing. We’ve been in contact with the NHLPA and will defend Ryan and protect his rights.”
Johansen’s tenure with the Flyers has been marred by injury, as he has yet to take the ice for the team since being acquired from the Avalanche last season. His hip injury sidelined him for both NHL and AHL action, with his only appearance coming in a brief stint with the Avalanche before the trade deadline. Flyers GM Daniel Briere acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding Johansen’s health status for the upcoming season.
“He’s going through some kind of rehab,” Briere revealed to NHL.com. “He had an injection; claims he has a hip injury. At this point, honestly I’m not too sure where it’s at. We’re not sure if he’s going to need surgery, or if he’s going to be ready for camp. We don’t really know at this point.”
Johansen’s on-ice performance last season was notably productive, tallying 13 goals and 23 points in 63 games with the Avalanche before the trade to Philadelphia. As the saga unfolds, both the Flyers and Predators will be closely monitoring the grievance process and its potential impact on their respective rosters. The coming days will undoubtedly shed more light on this complex and intriguing contract dispute in the world of professional hockey.
