NHLPA files grievance for Johansen vs. Flyers

The NHL Players Association has filed a grievance on behalf of center Ryan Johansen after the Philadelphia Flyers terminated his contract.

The Flyers placed Johansen on unconditional waivers in August, citing what the team said was a “material breach” of his contract.

Johansen was owed $8 million for the 2024-25 season, with the salary shared between the Flyers and the Nashville Predators, who retained $4 million when they traded him to the Colorado Avalanche in 2023.

Philadelphia acquired the 32-year-old center in a trade that sent defenseman Sean Walker to the Avalanche in March. They placed him on waivers in order to demote him to the American Hockey League. But Johansen said he had a hip injury, that was confirmed by team doctors, which prevented the demotion.

Flyers general manager Daniel Briere said the injury caught the team by surprise given that Johansen had played 63 games for the Avalanche, including a game two days before the trade.

“Ryan Johansen has a severe hockey injury that requires extensive surgery which has been scheduled. Since being traded to the Philadelphia Flyers, Ryan has worked in good faith with the Club, its medical staff, and authorized third party physicians. The Flyers’ attempt to terminate Ryan’s contract is disappointing,” said Kurt Overhardt, Johansen’s agent, in a statement after the contract termination.

Briere said before training camp that he was waiting to see if Johansen and his representatives were going to grieve the decision. Johansen had 60 days to make that call from the point of his contract termination.

“But as far as I understand it, the contract is terminated at this point,” said Briere.

If the NHL and NHLPA can’t come to an agreement on a resolution of the grievance, the Collective Bargaining Agreement allows Johansen to bring the matter before an impartial arbitrator.

Johansen has played 13 seasons in the NHL with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Predators and Avalanche. He has 578 points in 905 career games, having been taken fourth overall in the 2010 NHL Draft by Columbus.