NHL Free Agency Profile: Claude Giroux Going to a Cup Contender?

NHL free agency is like a buffet. Someone is going to like something specific and pay the price while someone else is picky in what they want and pays the same price for something else. Free-agent forward Claude Giroux has a pick of where he wants to go and one team, the Ottawa Senators, is near his hometown.

The Long time Philadelphia Flyer was traded last season to the Florida Panthers. He was successful on both teams but it begs the question does he, due to free agency, have a 3rd team in less than 2 years?

Claude Giroux, at 34, is still producing offensively. Although he has played a majority of his career at center, he has played right-wing in both Philadelphia and Florida. A premier penalty killer, Giroux has the magic touch on the power play as well. During the 2021/22 season, Giroux played a total of 75 games between the Flyers and the Panthers, combining 21 goals and 44 assists for 65 points. In the playoffs, with Florida, he had 3 goals and 5 assists for 8 points.

While Giroux, who has played in 7 all-star games, is still a premier piece that will still get paid, he may not exceed his last contract, which was an 8-year deal worth $66.2 million, an AAV of $8.275 million. With rumors floating around on where he could land there are three teams that stand out, the Ottawa Senators, New York Rangers, and Carolina Hurricanes, who all have cap space.

Ottawa is a 10-hour drive from Hearst, Ontario where Giroux was born so there’s a hometown feel to it and Ottawa is slowly turning the corner. The Rangers might get involved because they could use another piece like Giroux due to the fact they are close to winning it all and that kind of piece could get them there. Finally, Carolina for the same reason as New York but the Hurricanes can use his veteran leadership on a young and upcoming team.

Giroux likely waits to see what the market is and could choose one of the teams listed above. He wants a Cup before he retires so the Cup, not particularly money, is the one motivation to keep playing. We will find out soon enough where he lands.