Danny Brière provides a Ryan Johansen update, confirms the Flyers are completely healthy entering training camp

On the precipice of one of the most exciting Flyers training camps in recent memory, general manager Danny Brière sat down with the media on Tuesday.

“Oh, you’re going to start with him,” he said after the first question was about goalie Alexei Kolosov not reporting to camp. After he waded through the first few questions on the Belarusian goalie, Brière had a few more pieces of important business to clear up.

» READ MORE: Goalie prospect Alexei Kolosov will not report to Flyers training camp; his future remains uncertain

At the end of August, the Flyers placed Ryan Johansen “on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract due to a material breach.”

Acquired by the Flyers in March, in addition to a first-round pick, from the Colorado Avalanche in the Sean Walker trade, Johansen never suited up for the Flyers or their American Hockey League affiliate in Lehigh Valley, citing an injury.

The “material breach” language allowed the Flyers to terminate his contract. In the standard player contract portion of the NHL’s collective bargaining agreement, a club may terminate a contract if a player fails, refuses, or neglects to obey the club’s rules governing training, conduct, or renders his services. These all constitute a material breach.

Johansen’s agent, Kurt Overhardt, and his agency, KO Sports, released a statement at the time noting that the forward “has a severe hockey injury that requires extensive surgery which has been scheduled.” The agency has been “in contact with the NHLPA and will defend Ryan and protect his rights.”

According to Brière, “the ball is in their camp at this point,” and Johansen’s contract was officially terminated once he cleared unconditional waivers on Aug. 21. Johansen’s representatives will have to decide if they want to file a grievance. With the termination of the contract, the Flyers have, at least for now, freed up another $4 million in salary-cap space. Johansen was due to receive the final $8 million of an eight-year, $64 million contract he signed with the Nashville Predators. The Predators were retaining the other $4 million.

Brière was sure to knock on the table in front of him before answering the question, but yes, all of the players on the 58-person camp roster are healthy and accounted for.

It’s great news for the Flyers, as Sean Couturier, Jamie Drysdale, and Rasmus Ristolainen underwent surgery in the last few months. Couturier and Drysdale revealed that they underwent sports hernia surgery after the season ended. Ristolainen has not played since mid-February and underwent surgery to repair a ruptured triceps tendon in April.

Speaking on the Nasty Knuckles podcast, hosted by former Flyers forward Riley Cote and former team equipment manager Derek “Nasty” Settlemyre, in mid-June, Couturier said he underwent the procedure but was “feeling great now, so about to head back home this week and start the full training.”

Drysdale told reporters a month later that he underwent the procedure on his left side in April for an injury he suffered while playing for the Anaheim Ducks in their season opener, last Oct. 14. The defenseman was acquired from Anaheim in January in the Cutter Gauthier trade and played just 24 games the rest of the way for the Flyers.

Although everyone is good to go on the main roster, there are a few guys who were questionable as rookie camp concluded Tuesday. Winger Samu Tuomaala is a bit banged up and has not skated since the Rookie Series finale on Saturday. Center Denver Barkey, who is not on the training camp roster, has not skated as he recovers from mononucleosis. Defenseman Carter Sotheran has returned to the ice but did not play in either game against the New York Rangers. He has been undergoing tests for a heart condition, Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, with which he was diagnosed a few years ago.

» READ MORE: Matvei Michkov, Travis Konecny headline Flyers training camp roster ahead of Thursday’s first on-ice session

“As of now [everyone is healthy],” Brière said. “You know how this goes. You always see it early in training camp, there’s a lot of guys that get banged up when the intensity rises. You guys know, [coach John Tortorella’s] camp is not an easy one, but I believe it makes them stronger down the road.

“But as of right now, yes, our guys look strong. They look healthy.”

Brière added that Ryan Ellis once again is not expected to be back. The defenseman played four games for the Flyers early in the 2021-22 season and has not played since. He has been on long-term injured reserve after suffering a torn muscle in his back.

Of course, part of the press conference centered on Matvei Michkov. The Russian phenom wrapped up his participation in rookie camp and on Friday showcased his talent in the first game of the Rookie Series, punctuated by a power-play goal.

“I can’t wait to see how he’s going to create offense,” Brière said. “I think his brain is pretty special, and he’s going to adapt, but it might not be instant. He might need time to adapt to [the NHL]. What I’ve been really impressed with is how hard he plays in traffic. Yes, he’s a little shorter, but he’s stocky; he’s strong. You look at the two rookie games, how physical he was, how strong he was on the puck, holding onto pucks and extending plays. So that’s an area that I’m excited to watch.”

Brière did temper expectations for the 19-year-old Michkov. The GM said he expects the Flyers to compete and all of his players to take a step forward but added that his first-year “expectations are actually pretty low” for the No. 7 overall pick from the 2023 draft. Brière, as a former player himself, knows the NHL will be an adjustment.

“You know, it’s not going to be as easy in the NHL with the big, strong defensemen that have been around for years, but he’s going to adapt, and he’s going to figure out where he can be most successful and kind of take advantage of the opposition. So that’s what I’m looking forward to,” Brière said.

The selection of his linemates ultimately falls to Tortorella, but Brière says you can’t force chemistry. (He also said he has “no doubt there’s going to be some fireworks here and there with Tortorella, just like he has with almost every single player.”) So will Michkov be centered by Couturier or Morgan Frost? Will his opposite winger be Tyson Foerster, Owen Tippett, or even Travis Konecny? Time will tell. But Brière also was quick to point out that some line combinations that look bad on paper actually work on the ice. And he has some experience in that.

“Sometimes it’s unexpected, but it’s also the best feeling in the world when you find you know that chemistry with someone. I remember myself, like the chemistry with Ville Leino and Scotty Hartnell, when you put it together, you’re like, ‘That’s an ugly line,’” he said with a laugh. “And then we got on the ice, and we just knew where we were, where each other was going to be. Like I said, it’s the best feeling in the world. So I hope at some point that comes for Matvei.”