Philadelphia Flyers exposed for ruining Ryan Johansen's wedding with horrible timing of contract termination

The National Hockey League Players' Association said Thursday it has filed a grievance over the Philadelphia Flyers terminating centre Ryan Johansen's contract. The Flyers released a statement detailing their reason for the termination as a "material breach" of contract that occurred in late August. Many were in surprise because Johansen was a veteran forward who played a considerable role with the team.

The Flyers publicly announced the termination, and Johansen's agent, Kurt Overhardt, quickly disagreed with the move the team was making. He mentioned Johansen's injury in his defense and claimed the Flyers did not have merit for their action. The nature of the alleged breach of contract and the medical status of the player have become a growing controversy.

Flyers general manager Daniel Briere said in April he wasn't sure if Johansen would ever get medical clearance to play again. Adding further intrigue to the story is the fact that Johansen's health has always been a major talking point in the dispute.

Additionally, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported on his "32 Thoughts" podcast that Johansen had been unaware of his contract termination until hours after his wedding. The added personal element in all this, involving his new bride, Abbey Gray, simply takes an already dramatic situation to the next level. Friedman thinks that the central issue will probably relate to Johansen's medical examinations and when he met with the doctors.

The matter between Ryan Johansen and the Flyers is far from over. The filing of this grievance by the NHLPA sets the stage for a deeper investigation as to whether Johansen was treated in a fair manner. Given how entrenched each side currently is, it doesn't seem this dispute is going to go away anytime soon. Where exactly it goes next will likely depend on two key things: the timing and interpretation of his medical assessments.