One of the deals the Flyers made at the deadline was sending out defenseman Sean Walker tot he Colorado Avalanche in exchange for center Ryan Johansen and Colorado's 1st round pick in 2025. The move came despite the fact that the Flyers are in a legitimate playoff race. However, this move does more to solidify the long-term success of the team. An additional 1st round pick next year could go a long way in aiding the Flyers' rebuild.
That being said, Johansen was more of a cap dump in this trade than anything else. The 31-yearold has 13 goals and 23 points in 61 games this year. However, he may not be playing any games at all with his new team.
After the trade, the Flyers put Johansen on waivers for the purpose of sending him to the AHL. Given his 4 million dollar cap hit, which carries through until the end of next season, no team claimed him. Now he is apparently considering not reporting.
This could put the team in a difficult situation although Johansen never figured to be a part of the Flyer's long-term plans. Still though, they could be forced to buy him out in the offseason. Regardless, this is certainly an interesting development for the team and one to keep an eye on in the coming weeks.