When you compare words to actions, RJ and his agency have a problem.
He has not played one game since being traded. But prior to being traded, he "played" every game. So his agency says its a significant injury. Oh really? When did this occur? Once again, Colorado could have LTIRed him instead of trading a 1st to dump him.
He only reports the injury upon demotion.
Its obvious whats going on here. The problem with citing the CBA is its based on things happening above board. Thats not whats happening here.
Is part of the reason he didn't play a game because the Flyers immediately waived him and were sending him to the AHL? Do you think that every player who played in their team's last game of the year was healthy? Why are there a ton of surgeries which happen in the off-season? Might it be possible that guys were "gutting it out" and playing through significant injuries?
I'm not taking RJ's "side" with this, and if I was in the Flyer's organization I'd be pissed as well. I think he's probably gaming the system for his own benefit, and I think that's pretty shitty. With that said - I think it's also possible that he was playing hurt and was injured enough that surgery was required. If the Flyers medical staff could prove otherwise - they 100% would have done so and RJ would be bought out right now. As someone who has had major surgery - I doubt that RJ would "fake" an injury so he could have major surgery and spend the next number of months (TBD based on the surgery required) rehabbing. From a cash perspective, we're talking about $2.7M (of which he would actually get about half - taxes & agent get the rest) being "lost" if he's bought out. This is for a guy who has had in excess of $80M of career earnings.
Again - from what I think I know (maybe completely incorrect - but this is what I think I know):
1) RJ's play in COL was significantly below expectation.
2) Part of his poor play might be attributed to him playing injured.
3) Gets traded to PHI at the TD and was immediately placed on waivers so he could be sent down.
4) He claims he's injured.
5) Apparently - the Flyers can't prove that he is "healthy".
6) Assume the Flyers medical staff would be involved with determining if rehab is an option, or surgery required.
7) No surgery scheduled, so assume that rehab under Flyer medical staff supervision would occur.
8) Season ends and players undergo end of season physical.
9) Assume that RJ does not pass physical - because if he did pass the phsyical he would have been bought out already.
10) Again - repeat #7 until they determine that rehab is not helping and surgery is required.
11) Surgery scheduled (per KO tweet) - and the Flyers have to know this.
12) Flyers try to terminate RJ's contract.
My editorial - the Flyers organization seem to operate in a world where they think the world should acquiesce to what they want (or at least do what's best for the organization). Going all the way back to Lindros' medical issues and the Flyers needed him to play - so the team medical staff cleared him to play. More recently example would be the Cutter Gauthier situation where from what I understand it looks like the Flyers likely reneged on burning the first year of his ELC, which from CG's perspective would reduce his career earnings by $3-4M (and save the Flyers $3-4M of cash and cap space in that contract year). Then the Flyers are apparently surprised that CG would be angry about that, and not want to play for an organization that would do that to someone who would be part of the core they are going to build around. Then they go on the largest smear campaign I've seen in 30+ years in the NHL painting themselves as completely blameless and this is just some entitled, narcisstic kid who "doesn't want to be a Flyer". In the RJ case - the Flyers medical staff had 2 chances to prove that RJ was healthy, and they failed to do so. They apparently think that the rules don't apply to them, so they can just void the contract.
I know - TLDR.