NHL News

Flyers and Claude Giroux Agree to Hold Off on Contract Talks

The Philadelphia Flyers and Claude Giroux have agreed to hold off on contract talks until after the 2021-22 NHL season ends.

by
NHL Trade Talk
October 13, 2021

According to Pierre LeBrun, the Philadelphia Flyers and forward Claude Giroux are going to tuck away conversations about a contract extension until after the 2021-22 NHL season. The NHL insider noted that the two sides are agreeing to wait to figure out his future with the team, which will mean speculation about a trade throughout the season based on how the Flyers and Giroux perform.

As per LeBrun’s article in The Athletic, he writes:

Somewhat under the radar entering the season but sources say the Flyers and captain Claude Giroux mutually agreed this offseason they would wait until after this season to address his future. He’s UFA July 13. So no extension in the works at this point.

LeBrun spoke about how quickly time has passed since Giroux signed his big eight-year deal with the Flyers. A contract that carries a cap hit of $8.275 million will expire following this season and Giroux is no longer a young star with a ton of upside. While he’s a productive player, he’ll turn 34 in January. Is he destined to remain with the Flyers and potentially retire in that uniform? Or, could he explore his options in free agency and try to land with a team that has a good shot at winning a Stanley Cup?

The Flyers changed the makeup of their team more than perhaps any other franchise this offseason. Whether that equates to more wins and less friction within the organization is yet to be determined. Should they continue to struggle, it might be difficult envisioning a scenario where he returns. If the Flyers bounce back, Giroux will be a big part of it. That could be enough to entice him to stay.

His story will be an interesting one to watch as the season unfolds. He scored 43 points in 54 games last season but isn’t far removed from being better than a point-per-game player. If it is learned that he’s open to moving on, he could be an attractive piece at this year’s NHL trade deadline.

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