Five Thoughts On The Claude Giroux Trade For The Panthers and Flyers
The Florida Panthers and the Philadelphia Flyers made a big trade on Saturday when the Flyers sent Claude Giroux, German Rubtsov, and a fifth-round pick in 2024 to the Panthers in exchange for Owen Tippett, a first-round pick (either in 2024 or 2025), and a third-round pick in 2023.
Claude Giroux is leaving the Philadelphia Flyers and heading to the Florida Panthers for a playoff run.
The Florida Panthers haven’t been true contenders for a long long time. This is their year that they are all in for a championship, and the move they made yesterday right ahead of the deadline supports that claim.
Despite how bad the Flyers have been, now former-captain Claude Giroux has been having a great season. He has put up 42 points in 57 games, and he has definitely been the bright spot on the season for the struggling team.
Let’s get into five thoughts after the trade.
1. A Fresh Start
Claude Giroux just recently played in his 1000th game, and now he is on his way to Florida to play with the Panthers. This is a fresh start for a player who hasn’t been to the Stanley Cup final since 2010 with the Flyers.
Giroux has been one of the best players of his generation, and yet he has very little success to show for it. Now he is getting his chance to make a run for a cup while he still has a lot of skill and opportunity in the game.
Giroux is joining arguably the best team he has ever played on, and that in itself is an exciting thing to see.
2. A legacy in Philly
Claude Giroux might be leaving Philadelphia, but he will always be a Flyer. The city of Philly recently celebrated his 1000th NHL game in the league and with the franchise and I think that says it all.
A lot of different players have come and gone throughout the Flyers, but Giroux has been the constant staple with the franchise. He is second all-time in points, second all-time in assists, and second all-time in games played with the franchise.
Even though he is leaving Philly to go try and win a championship, he will always be a Flyer.
3. A good Step For The Flyers
This move also is a good move for the Flyers in itself. They bring in Owen Tippett, a former high draft pick who definitely can get a lot more playing time and opportunity with a rebuilding Flyers. They also get a first-round draft pick a few years from now which can help them build for the future.
The Flyers were in a tough position. They had to honor Claude Giroux’s decision to go down the trade route and his list definitely wasn’t very big, that meant they might not have gotten the biggest return as they would have liked, but at least they got a deal done and brought something back in return.
4. The Panthers Became That Much More Dangerous
The Florida Panthers adding arguably the biggest name available. With Giroux in the mix, they now have Sam Reinhart, Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau and Anthony Duclair all in the top six.
The franchise is in a good position for a playoff run and the challenge is definitely going to be uphill considering they will need to get past either Tampa Bay or Toronto or both.
The Panthers already had one of the strongest offenses in the league, and with the addition of Giroux, they are that much deeper and better. Bill Zeto, general manager of the Panthers, managed to add a really big contributor to their team without giving up anything that would really hurt them in the short term.
5. The Biggest Name Is Off The Board
Lastly, now we look ahead. The biggest name is off the board when it comes to the trade deadline. With the deadline just a day away, the league has already seen some pretty big trades. Who will be the next franchise star moved?