Claude Giroux is still on the board, and the Flyers remain very much in the conversation.
After the first day of NHL free agency came and went, the veteran center had yet to put pen to paper, even as multiple teams kept circling. Pierre LeBrun reported this morning that Philadelphia could be in line for a reunion, with the Flyers expected to be among the clubs trying to land Giroux.
That interest was real enough for general manager Danny Briere to address it during his free agency press conference Wednesday night.
“We’ve had some discussions, I can’t say much more than that,” he said. “We’re looking at everything. But at the moment, there’s nothing imminent.”
Briere also said the Flyers were likely finished for the day, though he left the door open for another move later on. And when asked who reached out first - the Flyers or Giroux - Briere laughed and said he didn't know, he didn't remember.
The Flyers were not alone in the chase. Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun reported that Philadelphia was one of several teams showing interest in the 38-year-old, along with the Montreal Canadiens, Colorado Avalanche, and Toronto Maple Leafs.
For Giroux, the choice is a meaningful one. He took time after the season to think through his future before deciding to play another year, but that does not guarantee Ottawa will be the place. The Senators still hope they can work something out, yet he has no shortage of options.
And the fit in each place tells a different story.
Colorado is the obvious Cup-chasing pitch. Giroux had considered the Avalanche at the trade deadline before eventually going to Florida in 2022, and that decision could still be lingering in the background.
The Avs were the team that won the Stanley Cup that year, and they remain one of the league’s top groups. Giroux could slide into a third-line role and add depth behind Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas.
Toronto offers another path, though maybe a more crowded one. The Maple Leafs have moved aggressively this offseason, with additions of Darren Raddysh and Sergei Bobrovsky, plus forward depth.
Jack Roslovic, Nicholas Paul, and Dakota Joshua all can handle third-line work, and Colton Sissons and Teddy Blueger are in the mix too. The Leafs would make room if Giroux wanted in, but the fit may not be as clean as it once looked.
Then there is Montreal, fresh off an Eastern Conference Final appearance and still looking like a team on the rise. The Canadiens were quiet externally on Day One of free agency, but they did lock up Ivan Demidov to a long-term extension. Giroux would give them a proven veteran voice and could even slot into a second-line role.
And, of course, there is Philadelphia.
Giroux’s first team is back in the picture, and so is the city he once seemed destined to call home forever. The Flyers also had a better year than many expected, winning a playoff round for the first time since Giroux left. They still have a clear need for help in the faceoff circle after getting pushed around there in the playoffs, and even turned Luke Glendening into a key piece because he was right-handed and could win draws.
Giroux would solve that problem and more. He could take on a third-line job, bring a major lift to the power play, and give Philadelphia a real hockey reason to bring him back beyond the emotional pull of a reunion.
So the door stays open, and the wait continues. Giroux has a big decision ahead of him, and if this is indeed his final NHL season, it will be a significant one.
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