Flyers’ Daniel Briere doesn’t think Ryan Johansen can play hockey again

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Philadelphia Flyers general manager Daniel Briere doesn’t expect forward Ryan Johansen to play hockey again.

Briere said that a medical issue kept Johansen from playing the rest of the season. Initially, Briere expected to look for another trade involving Johansen and didn’t see him as part of the Flyers’ future.

“All I can tell you is I don’t expect him to be back. I don’t know, exactly, the situation. We’re dealing on the medical side with him,” Briere said via Jon Bailey of Phily Hockey Now. “The thing for him is getting him back to be able to play at this time. He doesn’t think he can play hockey. I wish I had a better answer for you. We need to get him better to figure out if there’s even a remote chance of him dressing for the organization.”

The Flyers traded defenceman Sean Walker and a 2026 fifth-round selection to the Colorado Avalanche for Johansen and a conditional 2025 first-round selection on March 6. Johansen was then re-assigned to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the American Hockey League after he cleared waivers.

Johansen registered 13 goals and 10 assists for 23 points in 63 games with Colorado this season. He is in the seventh season of an eight-year, $64 million contract.

The 31-year-old from Vancouver has 578 career points (202 goals and 376 assists) in 905 games over 13 seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Nashville Predators and Avalanche.