Claude Giroux Celebrates 1,000 Games As Trade Rumors Intensify

Claude Giroux is about to play his 1,000th game for the team that drafted him as trade rumors swirl ahead of Monday’s trade deadline.

Usually, NHL players such as Claude Giroux are lauded for reaching 1,000 games played after their historic night has gone into the books, not put on the trade block.

On Thursday, the Philadelphia Flyers will pull out all the stops for Claude Giroux’s actual 1,000th game — before puck drop with the Nashville Predators in town.

Presumably, there are two reasons for this:

First, the Flyers are on home ice for the milestone game. They’ll play in Ottawa on Friday, then return to Wells Fargo Center to face the New York Islanders for a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday.

Second, the clock is ticking toward Monday’s trade deadline (3 p.m. ET). As an impending unrestricted free agent, Giroux’s name sits near the top of many trade-bait boards.

Will Giroux Join The Avalanche?

Giroux holds a full no-movement clause in his contract. If he is traded, he’ll have control over his destination. Presumably, that will be somewhere he can take a serious run at winning his first Stanley Cup.

The Colorardo Avalanche are sitting comfortably atop the Western Conference standings, and have been linked to Giroux ever since the All-Star break. Last Saturday, coach Jared Bednar announced that captain Gabriel Landeskog and defenseman Samuel Girard will be missing some time due to injuries. That could help the Avs free up enough salary-cap space to squeeze in Giroux — even after picking up defender Josh Manson from the Anaheim Ducks on Monday.

To get the deal done, the Flyers would still likely need to retain the maximum 50% of Giroux’s remaining salary. And word is that they’re looking for a significant package in return.

TSN’s Pierre LeBrun recently compared Giroux to Nick Foligno. He was an impending UFA last season, when he was acquired by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Foligno was also a team captain and veteran leader, but not with the same offensive chops.

“If Nick Foligno as a rental went for a first and a fourth a year ago at the deadline, then Giroux is looking at a triple asset package for sure for the Flyers,” LeBrun said, per NBC Sports Boston. “A first, a young player, and a prospect or certainly at least two assets with higher quality. It’s a high price to get in on Giroux.”

The Avs dealt away their 2023 second-rounder to bring in Manson. They’re now left with just three draft picks in the first four rounds over the next two seasons, according to CapFriendly. They do still hold their first-round pick in 2023. It’s projected to be a strong, deep draft.

Other Teams In The Mix

According to The Fourth Period, other teams that could have interest in Giroux include the Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, St. Louis Blues and Carolina Hurricanes. They’re also all viable playoff contenders.

Could we see a bidding war between two or more of those clubs? That would give Flyers’ general manager Chuck Fletcher the best odds of maximizing the return he receives for his captain. And with his high-end skillset, Giroux is a unicorn in this year’s trade-deadline class.

The Panthers and Hurricanes are also without their 2022 first-round picks. They were used last summer to acquire Sam Reinhart and Jesperi Kotkaniemi, respectively.

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What Giroux Brings

Speaking on Zoom on Monday, former teammates Ian Laperriere and Scott Hartnell and current teammate Sean Couturier all emphasized Giroux’s fiery competitive spirit, first and foremost.

Watch live as Ian Laperriere, Scott Hartnell and Sean Couturier discuss @28CGiroux's upcoming 1,000th NHL game on Thursday and his achievements in Philly. https://t.co/fivBgHAyPy

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) March 14, 2022

He’s also still playing a well-rounded, high-end game.

Known for his soft hands and especially for his playmaking ability, Giroux tallied his 900th career point when he scored his 18th goal of the year against the Montreal Canadiens last Sunday, in Game No. 999. With 42 points in 56 games this year, the 34-year-old’s offensive output has remained consistent for the past three seasons. His career peak came in 2017-18, when he logged a league-high 68 points to go along with 34 for goals for 102 points. He finished six points behind winner Connor McDavid in the Art Ross Trophy race, and in fourth place in balloting for the Hart Trophy.

Giroux’s Legacy In Philadelphia

On Thursday, Giroux will become just the second player in Flyers history to reach the 1,000-game milestone, after Bobby Clarke. But while Clarke played all 1,144 games of his NHL career in the orange and black, Giroux likely won’t.

With the salary cap expected to remain relatively flat again next season, space will be at a premium. Fletcher has already committed to big-money extensions for Couturier ($7.75 million AAV), Rasmus Ristolainen ($5.1 million AAV), and Joel Farabee ($5 million AAV). All told, CapFriendly shows Philadelphia with over $72 million committed for next season, with just 13 players under contract.

As things stand, there simply isn’t enough room for Giroux to return. Whether he’s traded at the deadline or not, he’ll almost certainly have a new address next season.

Giroux will leave Philadelphia with 1,000 games played. Without a Stanley Cup ring, but with his name all over the franchise’s all-time record book.

Rest assured — he’ll return to the ice at Wells Fargo Center after his retirement when his No. 28 is raised to the rafters.