Feb 23, 2019; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Flyers center Claude Giroux (28) celebrates the game-winning goal during overtime against the Pittsburgh Penguins in a Stadium Series ice hockey game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
We all know that the Captain Claude Giroux will become a UFA in 2022. That’s not as far as a lot of people think. It also hasn’t been a secret that fans are wondering what would happen if the Flyers let go of our beloved Captain. Luckily I dove into the pros and cons of what it would be like if both the Flyers kept and let go of Giroux, to include his strengths and weaknesses.
Strengths
- Prolific player
- 40+ assists a season (usually)
- 20+ goals eight separate seasons
- Prolific passer
- Rowdy in playoffs
- Will do what he’s asked by the coaching staff (especially if he knows it’ll help the team)
- Two-way player
- Leads with positivity
- Makes plays
Weaknesses:
- Not a 40+ goal Captain
- Having have had a hip/abdominal muscle surgery in 2016 at the age of 28 from playing the game too hard, and he continues to do that. It has taken a toll on his body
- Giroux has just 4g,14a (18 points) in the last four playoff appearances, which spans 35 playoff games for the Flyers
Just because the strengths weigh out the weaknesses that doesn’t mean that the Flyers should not think about letting him walk. The truth is hard to hear sometimes, and sometimes some of our Captain’s can’t all be a career long players. He has passed a few Flyers records such as most points in a regular season (93) and postseason (17) in the 2011-12 season, became the sixth Flyer in team history to hit 100 points, and was the first Flyer to reach 100 points since Eric Lindros in 1995-96. This doesn’t mean a change of scenery won’t help him get back to the Claude Giroux he was in his beginning years as a Philadelphia Flyers player.
Flyers fans (me included) have this habit of not wanting to let go of players we should let go of, whether if it’s for the team’s good or for their own good. Sometimes there are long time players on teams that need a change of scenery, and that is not an easy thing to hear.
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Let’s weigh the pros and cons of keeping Claude Giroux:
Pros:
- Key player when it comes to playing both center and wing
- The Flyers had a long-term Captain leading
- He could possibly when the Cup with his career long team
Cons:
- Takes up about 10-11% of the cap hit
- May have more slumps in the future
- Lose chemistry with long time teammates
- Getting older
- Window to win the Cup is closing
- Goes through slumps more so than other players
Re-signing him once his contract is up may have an impact on what level of players the Flyers could sign in 2022. You don’t want a team full of vets and a few young prospects. You also don’t want a team filled with league minimum or one-year contracts, and constantly having to rebuild season after season. Moreover, you also do not want to keep someone for more than what they are worth at a certain stage and age. The truth is hard to hear sometimes. While Giroux has time to get back to how he was in his prime, it wouldn’t hurt him to explore his options.Â
No mention of face offs or salary?
Me personally, I would not resign him to a new contract,he will always be remembered as a great Flyer, but it’s time to move on from this player, and let one of the up and coming young centers get their chance at becoming the next great Flyer.
Resign him but at a lower cap hit. Would be great to see a cup win with this upcoming season. He needs to be a Flyer for his entire career.
I would sign him, but only a much cheaper contract, and so he must be willing to take a big home town discount on his next contract! And while the same time, we must sign Couturier to a bigger contract, so able to do that, Giroux must understand, that it is Couturier”s team going forward! But we are much more wiser in this question, come season 2022!
You know when a player is aging out in the NHL. He no longer scores the big goal to win games, he stops going into the corners and he disappears in the playoffs. Yes, I’m describing Claude Giroux. He looks retired already. He’s now a dad and has a wonderful marriage. In other words, he’s become domesticated and hockey IS a violent game fans. Giroux no longer can score 30 goals and when you’re making $8M a year, that makes him a liability. Cut G loose. The Flyers need the cap space.