Shocking new details emerge regarding the Ryan Johansen scandal

The Philadelphia Flyers traded for Ryan Johansen from the Colorado Avalanche at last year's NHL trade deadline, merely to reunite him with former coach John Tortorella. A great move on paper immediately turned into a shocker when Johansen opted not to report to the Flyers for claimed injury upon completion of said trade. That development raised eyebrows, as he had been medically cleared to play with the Avalanche before the trade, therefore creating a lot of confusion and controversy around his sudden declaration of unfitness.

The situation further developed when the frustrated Flyers, because of Johansen's lack of participation, placed him on unconditional waivers on August 20th with the intention of terminating his contract for breach. This bold move of the Flyers was in the center of attention, just because now the question about Johansen's injury has received a new dimension. The player didn't take this move easy, fought back, and shared the details of the surgery he had undergone. Sure, Johansen and his camp did everything possible to cancel the Flyers' decision.

As the saga dragged further and further on, reports began to arise of the financial consequences on the Flyers. The team had gained permission to waive and terminate Johansen's contract, but looming was the threat of potential cap penalties. The story took a whole new twist when Anthony Di Marco reported that although the Flyers had cleared Johansen's cap hit, they were still awaiting an official ruling. If Johansen's injury had been viewed by the NHL as having nullified the termination of his contract, the Flyers could be staring down cap penalties, further complicating their offseason.

The Flyers are threatened by more than just this season. While the cap space opened by Johansen's departure will have little value this season, there are more significant ramification implications for next year should the team be forced into cap penalties. A team in transition requires flexibility to manage future cap space. The 29-year-old Johansen scored 13 goals and added 10 assists with the Avalanche before his injury, and now an uncertain future lies ahead of him, with murmurings that this serious injury could even bring an end to his playing career.

The NHL career of Ryan Johansen finally drew to a close with 905 games in which he scored 202 goals and had 376 assists. His career was to end without a Stanley Cup or major tournament victory, notwithstanding such personal stats. Controversial, out-of-order, this chapter with the Flyers may just be the final note in Johansen's professional hockey journey, and it leaves the player and team in an unresolved and complicated situation.