As we close in on his 1000th game in the Flyers organization, it feels like we are also closing this chapter in his career. With the trade deadline approaching quickly, Flyers Captain Claude Giroux will most likely be on the move.
Where does he fit best?
Philadelphia fans have some tough goodbyes to say soon to one of the most beloved Flyers in recent memory. What some thought could be a year of turning the corner has turned to disappointment and tons of questions to be answered by the front office. It only makes sense for Giroux to not want to stick around to see it out: he’s not getting any younger and at 34 he’s still looking for a certain trophy every kid who plays hockey dreams of lifting over their head. The Flyers dysfunction and confusing inability to turn the corner to becoming an annual contender could be an article all on its own, however, we’re going to analyze fits for Giroux to finally make a deep playoff run and potentially win a Stanley Cup.
To best evaluate where he fits, it’s important to understand where Giroux’s game is at this point in his impressive career. He has been bounced around the lineup at both center and wing over the past few years, but surprisingly he is currently posting his best year ever on the faceoff dot at a staggering 61.1%, solidifying him as one of the best in the league. Giroux is also on pace for over 60 points this season, and will be a power play unit option for pretty much any team that acquires him. On top of that he provides leadership and experience, as he has been a model captain in Philly despite being a part of some tough times in the City of Brotherly Love. After Giroux’s 1000th game celebration tonight, it is expected that the trade talks will heat up quickly, but let’s see where he fits in the lineup on the teams rumored to be in pursuit of his services:
(Line combinations are sourced from DailyFaceoff.com as of March 17th)
Tampa Bay Lightning:
Let’s be honest, who wouldn’t fit on this team. The Lightning are looking to go back to back to back, and adding a player the caliber of Giroux only makes their juggernaut offense stronger. Figuring out the salary cap math will be tricky for Tampa, however they’ve found ways to make moves in the past few years to get deals done that looked unlikely due to their cap situation. I think if he were to head to the Lightning, he fits best on the second line center spot. On the second power play unit he would take over for Ross Colton, providing crucial offensive zone faceoff wins to drive possession time and use his playmaking ability to create high quality shots. Realistically, you could put Giroux anywhere in this lineup and he would make a huge impact, especially with the talent he would have around him.
Projected Lines:
Killorn – Stamkos – Kucherov
Palat – Giroux – Point
Joseph – Cirelli – Perry
Maroon – Colton – Bellemare
Minnesota Wild:
Personally, this is my favorite fit and the team I think needs him most if they want to make a playoff run in the Western Conference. The Wild currently have Ryan Hartman playing top-line center for them, who has played well posting 24 goals and 21 assists for 45 points, but most Stanley Cup winning teams have that elite center who can put them over the top. With Kirill Kaprizov white hot this year, Giroux could breathe new life into his game and get back to the days of being a point-per-game player. Minnesota has a noticeable need for a faceoff taker in their lineup as well as their top-9 centers (Hartman, Gaudreau, Eriksson-Ek) all have sub-50 faceoff percentages. Giroux immediately slides both into the top-line center spot and to the first-line power play. Minnesota keeps their highly touted defensive third line together, and drops Gaudreau to the fourth-line left wing spot as Hartman fills in the second-line center spot.
Projected Lines:
Kaprizov – Giroux – Zuccarello
Fiala – Hartman – Boldy
Greenway – Eriksson-Ek – Foligno
Gaudreau – Jost – Bjugstad
Florida Panthers:
It’s no secret, the Panthers are all in. Yesterday they made a splash by adding defenseman Ben Chiarot, giving up their 2023 first-round pick in the process. Some think that Florida not having a first to give for Giroux could complicate things, but reports say that Florida will not be backing off in their pursuit of the Flyers captain. In acquiring Giroux, Florida would likely slot him on the first-line left wing next to Barkov and Verhaeghe, giving them a potent offensive first-line. Joe Thornton would likely take over the third-line center spot as Anton Lundell recovers from injury. Giroux would give a boost to the power play for a team that is widely considered one of the best teams in the league, if not the best overall.
Projected Lines:
Giroux – Barkov – Verhaeghe
Huberdeau – Bennett – Reinhart
Marchment – Thornton – Duclair
Luostarinen – Acciari – Hornqvist
Colorado Avalanche:
The Avalanche are now locked in a bit of an arms race with Calgary, as they both lead their divisions by a sizable amount and the Flames recently added Tyler Toffoli and Calle Jarnkrok. Colorado would love to solidify their place as the number one seed in the Western Conference and get that big piece for a push, like Giroux. Oddly enough, I think that Giroux works perfectly on Colorado as the third-line center, at least to start. He would provide a huge offensive boost to their bottom-six, and I think a few less minutes per game would keep him fresh and ready for any opportunity on the power play. Even more so, Giroux would help the Avalanche on the faceoff dot, as they are the second-worst team in the league in faceoff percentage (per StatMuse). In the playoffs however, I think you would see Giroux moved into the top-six, likely on the top-line with MacKinnon and Rantanen in what would be one of the best lines in the league.
Projected Lines:
Nichushkin – MacKinnon – Rantanen
Newhook – Kadri – Burakovsky
O’Connor – Giroux – Compher
MacDermid – Helm – Aube-Kubel