Claude Giroux has become the reason the Ottawa Senators have taken such a cautious approach to the start of free agency.
General manager Steve Staios made that much clear this week, explaining that the club has held back because Giroux is still weighing his options and has not ruled out a return to Ottawa.
"And he's come out and wanted to take a look around in free agency, but hasn't closed the door to coming back to Ottawa. I mean, for us, there's also a reason why I'm not active today. Obviously, that spot is reserved for him, and I'm eagerly anticipating waiting to have a conversation with him."
That stance has left the Senators in an unusual spot. While other NHL teams moved quickly to add veteran help, Ottawa has mostly waited. Staios said the team had been open to doing a deal with Giroux before the trade deadline and wanted him back, but Giroux chose to test unrestricted free agency instead.
That decision raises the obvious question: what changed?
Maybe the offer Ottawa put forward at the deadline wasn’t enough. Maybe Giroux wanted more security, especially after missing out on some of his bonuses tied to the team’s playoff success last season.
Maybe he has concerns about where the Senators are headed after a summer that brought changes and, in some cases, criticism. Or maybe his role is expected to shrink, which would naturally affect how he views his next contract.
At the end of the season, Giroux made it clear how much he enjoyed being around the group.
"The guys in that locker room, I love spending time with those guys," Giroux said. "They make it fun coming to the rink, and they definitely keep me young, and being around them is... I feel very lucky."
Still, Ottawa’s offseason has not exactly been a quiet one in terms of change, and losing Brady Tkachuk's production and leadership changes the picture. Giroux is at the stage of his career where every decision matters, and he may be looking hard at whether the Senators are moving in the direction he wants.
Staios, though, is keeping the door open.
"Would I like to be in a position now, knowing that G is back and continuing to work on the roster? That would be great.
But at this point, showing him the respect that he's earned as a free agent to be able to look around. I mean, I wish it were different.
"I think we're watching opportunities that may or may not have come about if we did have an answer. But certainly we'd like to have G back."
It’s a rare kind of offseason pause, even for a player with Giroux’s standing. Ottawa is effectively waiting on one decision before moving on with the rest of its business.
If Giroux comes back, the patience pays off. If he signs elsewhere, the Senators could be left wondering what they passed on while keeping that roster spot open.
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Claude Girouxs free-agency market had lingered long enough that plenty of teams could convince themselves they still had a real shot, and Ottawa was among the clubs that stayed in the conversation. For a veteran who turned 38 and still managed to lead the NHL in faceoff percentage last season while remaining productive and durable, the appeal was obvious: he could help a contender in the middle of the ice and bring a level of reliability that is hard to find this time of year.
The wrinkle for interested teams was always going to be whether Giroux wanted more than a short-term fit, and the latest expectation points toward a one-year arrangement with possible performance bonuses. That kind of setup keeps the door open for a veteran who can still contribute right away, but it also leaves rival clubs waiting to see whether the decision is really about money, fit, or something a little more personal as the process moves toward its final answer. [Read more 🡒]
Senators Just Sent A Clear Message About Their Summer Plan
The Senators spent the early part of the summer making a clear push to thicken the organization from top to bottom, and the latest wave of moves fits that plan. Ottawa signed five free agents to two-way deals expected to begin in Belleville, adding Sammy Blais, Philippe Daoust, Ryan Suzuki, Philip Tomasino and Christian Kyrou to a group that should give the AHL club more experienced options while also giving the NHL side more insulation.
There was more than just the contract work, too. Ottawa also brought in winger Kasper Halttunen from the San Jose Sharks in late June and used the 2026 NHL Draft to add Jonas Lagerberg Hoen and Jaxon Cover in the first round, all part of an effort to deepen the prospect pool and sharpen the pipeline. The bigger question now is how much more room there is for the front office to keep moving while it waits on the next major free-agent domino. [Read more 🡒]