Philadelphia Flyers
EXCLUSIVE: Flyers’ Briere Reveals Truth About Ryan Johansen
Since being acquired by the Philadelphia Flyers ahead of the NHL trade deadline on March 6, former Colorado Avalanche forward Ryan Johansen has not appeared in a game for the Flyers organization.
Johansen was placed on waivers that same day for the purpose of being assigned to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the AHL and officially cleared waivers on March 7.
The AHL transactions page shows that Johansen was registered as a Phantoms player on March 7, but has since resurfaced on the Flyers roster and has been listed as a scratch for recent games. So, what is actually going on with Johansen?
“He claimed to be injured when we traded for him, so we had him see the doctors,” Flyers general manager Danny Briere told Philly Hockey Now in a phone interview. “They found an injury, so now he’s going to be rehabbing. You can’t send down a player who’s injured, so he’s going to be doing rehab until… we don’t know when.
“That’s about all I can say at this time, or all that I have. So, he’s back on our roster doing rehab and trying to get better.”
The timing of Johansen’s injury was certainly strange, as he had played for the Avalanche as recently as March 4 – two days before being acquired by the Flyers. It is worth noting that in that March 4 game against the Chicago Blackhawks, Johansen took only 13 shifts, his second-lowest total of the season.
The only time he played fewer was on Feb. 13, when the 31-year-old took 11 shifts in 9:30 of ice time against the Washington Capitals.
Did the injury catch Briere and the Flyers by surprise when they executed the trade with Colorado?
“Yes, that’s fair to say.”
It’s unclear where things go from here for Johansen and the Flyers, though it is clear that a solution on the ice is not in the cards yet. A Columbus Blue Jackets player for five seasons, Johansen briefly played under current Flyers head coach John Tortorella for half a year before being traded to Nashville mid-season.
Briere is not certain if the two have talked since Johansen was traded to Philadelphia, but if they have, it wasn’t orchestrated by the front office.
“I don’t know. As far as I know, I haven’t heard of any communication between Ryan and John,” Briere explained. “I don’t know for sure; they could have been talking to each other. But as far as I know, no, there hasn’t been any discussion.”
With Johansen on the roster, the Flyers are currently carrying 15 forwards, six defensemen, and two goalies. This means that they do not have a spare body on defense. Since he is injured, Johansen could become a candidate to go on injured reserve to create a roster spot for the Flyers to either activate a defenseman, like Nick Seeler, or call up another defenseman in his stead.
After this season, Johansen has one year remaining on his contract at a $4 million cap hit, as Nashville is retaining 50% from their previous trade with Colorado. Injured players cannot be bought out.
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Shouldn’t the Flyers be compensated in some way for acquiring an injured player? Why was this not disclosed by the Avs? I’m sure the Flyers would have still received a first-rounder for Walker from other clubs.
Taking the 4 million contract off of their hands was the sweetener for the AVS to offer the 1st round pick. Have to assume this was the best deal on the table and other teams were playing hardball and not offering a number one, or possibly a number one this year which is less valuable than a one in the 2025 draft.
Either way, it is what it is and it could be called Ellis light, since the Fly guys once again get damaged goods in a trade.
As you all know, in other sports there’s a physical a player needs to pass to validate the trade. I assume this isn’t the case with the NHL? Much ado about nothing though, put him on the IR for rest of season and then buy him out for next season. Flyers made it clear they don’t want him, so why the drama?
The problem with your hypothesis is that he can’t be bought out if he’s injured. Unless his hip gets fixed the Flyers are stuck with his 4 million against their cap. Which of course is added to the close to 13 million allocated to 4 other guys no longer on the team.
I don’t believe his hip injury is bad enough to prevent a buy out that will allow him sign a league-minimum contract with another NHL team next season. He’d play through the pain (like any vet) to get his name on the Cup. He’s not going to do that for the AHL. And why would the Flyers want him in the AHL risking further injury that could prevent a buy out? There’s something strange going on here, appears personal.
Doesn’t this injury make this trade null & void? Either the Avs had no idea he was injured, or he’s just using this injury to a) avoid playing for an AHL team (which he no doubt finds insulting) and/or b) avoid playing for Tortorella. Either way it sucks for the Flyers. I’d also sure like to have updates on Seeler, Ristolainen, Drysdale. Seems to be all quiet on the Western front when it comes to these guys.
Sort of sucks for the Flyers. Just don’t trade for a guy the GM doesn’t want, the coach doesn’t like, has an agent the team despises, and think you can bury the guy in the minors and the player/agent can’t do anything about it. Bottom line is, though, the Flyer docs did find an injury needing rehab. Put him on the IR, send him home, and buy him out. Very simple.
Keep the personality conflicts out of it and it’s a done deal, mission accomplished with trade for a protected-top 10 1R DP. Seems to me like a lot of work for an extremely late 1R DP. How often does those work out? Paying about $3M in cash on a 50-50 shot of ever making it to the NHL. Didn’t Calgary have a good laugh at the same offer?
Keep in mind, Briere still turned Walker into a 2025 1st rd pick! Nothing more needs to said.
As stated, they can’t buy out an injured player. There is no timeline for his return to the ice.
As an Avs fan who found this article through ColHockeyNow, Johansen played the night before the trade and I believe he was pulled off the rink during practice when the trade went down. So, I’m not too sure about the injury.
Flyer docs are sure about the injury. Seems similar to Logan O’Connor, lingering hip issue that didn’t keep him from playing until surgery was needed that will sideline him until next season. This has to be the Flyers worst case scenario for #12. Though I would think if surgery is needed for #12, the NHL would step in and return him to the Avs. This saga just doesn’t want to go away.
Whatever injury he is dealing with, it wasn’t serious enough for him to miss any time with the Avs. The Avs didn’t exactly love what he brought to the lineup (hence offering a 1st rounder to the Flyers to take him) so if he had any kind of serious injury at all they wouldn’t have minded having him sit out games. Then he gets traded then waived and all of the sudden he has an injury that prevents him from getting sent down to the minors? Definitely seems more on Johansen then the Avs.
Except he never was a healthy scratch, only Av to play in every game until he was traded. But yes, it was painful to watch him on the ice. Not sure why he wasn’t ever a healthy scratch.
I’m not so sure Briere knows how to be a GM. This is just one of several mistakes made during his tenure.
Avs fan here. I’m pretty tapped into the best media outlets here, incl: DNVR, Adrian Dater, Colo Hockey Now, Mile High Sports, Guerilla Sports, Mile High Hockey, Denver Gazette, Tell It Avs It Is, & Locked On Avalanche. This injury was not mentioned by anyone, even on Twitter or a podcast. I don’t think Joey told the Avs about it & I feel like he’s using it to his personal advantage. That being said, Joey looked like a slug on the ice, so his trade was a pure dump & I didn’t really expect PHI to play him.
Except Flyer docs agree there’s an injury and rehab is needed. Sounds similar to Logan O’Connor, lingering hip injury that recently required surgery.
Cutter Gautheir’s agent and Johansen’s agent are one in the same guy-Kurt Overhardt …..mucking around with Danny B and the Flyers…..Jonesy may have to have a conversation with Vice President of Player Safety.George Parros in the NHL offices…or even Commish. Gary Bettman.