Arbitrator Rules in Flyers’ Favor in Ryan Johansen Contract Dispute

The nearly year-long legal battle between forward Ryan Johansen and the Philadelphia Flyers has ended with a decisive win for the team. An NHL arbitrator ruled that the Flyers acted within their rights when they terminated Johansen’s contract last August, citing a “material breach.”

NHL insider Darren Dreger reports:

“Sources say an arbitrator has ruled in favour of the Philadelphia Flyers in a grievance filed by the NHLPA following the termination of Ryan Johansen’s contract in August, 2024. The Flyers cited a “material breach” as grounds for termination.”

Johansen, 33, had been acquired from the Colorado Avalanche on March 6, 2024, in the Sean Walker trade, just two days after playing for Colorado against Chicago. Upon arriving in Philadelphia, he was diagnosed with a hip injury that prevented the team from assigning him to its AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The Flyers claimed the injury was not disclosed and impacted his ability to fulfill his contract.

Johansen and his agent, Kurt Overhardt, countered that he had suffered a “severe hockey injury” requiring extensive surgery, and the NHLPA filed a grievance on his behalf. That challenge is now over, with the ruling clearing the Flyers — and the Avalanche, who had been paying half of Johansen’s $8 million remaining salary — of any financial or salary-cap obligations.

Johansen did not play during the 2024-25 season and is now an unrestricted free agent.

While details of the arbitrator’s reasoning remain confidential, the case is one that highlights the importance of carefully researching a player’s injury history and situation when teams make trades. For players, it’s a lesson that one can’t claim a career-threatening injury just because they don’t want to play for a particular team or in the minors. As one fan wrote on social media: “This sounds an awful lot like Danny picked him up, told him he’s starting in the minors, he objected, then made up an injury, and now lost all that money.”

For the Flyers, it also removes any lingering salary-cap complications heading into 2025-26 — and clears the way for general manager Daniel Briere to focus on other business.

Perhaps we’ll learn the specifics in the coming days.

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