Ryan Johansen's Contract Termination Could Give Predators $4 Million in Salary Cap Space

The Philadelphia Flyers announced that they have placed center Ryan Johansen on unconditional waivers to terminate his contract following a “material breach.” Johansen is expected to clear waivers and file a grievance with the NHLPA following his termination, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

Johansen's contract termination will immensely benefit the Nashville Predators, who had retained 50% of his initial $8 million annual salary when they traded him to the Colorado Avalanche last summer. The Predators, who currently have just over $3 million in salary cap space, will see their $4 million cap penalty for the retention wiped out once Johansen's contract is terminated. At the end of this process, Nashville's cap space will more than double.

Philadelphia acquired Johansen from the Avalanche before the trade deadline but immediately waived him in an attempt to send him to the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms and potentially offload him before the deadline passed. Days later, however, the league reversed Johansen’s AHL assignment after he failed his physical following the trade due to a hip injury.

Related: Podcast: Bally Sports, Luke Evangelista & Predators' Salary Cap Issues

The injury also prevented Johansen from being bought out by the Flyers in June. Once he clears waivers, his termination will wipe the $4 million cap hit from both Philadelphia's and Nashville's ledgers. However, the Flyers could still be hit with a cap charge if Johansen's expected grievance is successful.

Johansen would have become an unrestricted free agent after next season upon completion of the eight-year, $64 million deal he signed with Nashville in 2017.