SenShot
Fansided

Potential Centre Targets For The Ottawa Senators

By Nicholas Robinson

OTTAWA, ON - JUNE 20: Owner of the Ottawa Senators Eugene Melnyk photographed during the 2008 NHL Entry Draft at Scotiabank Place on June 20, 2008 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
OTTAWA, ON - JUNE 20: Owner of the Ottawa Senators Eugene Melnyk photographed during the 2008 NHL Entry Draft at Scotiabank Place on June 20, 2008 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 4
Next
Claude Giroux #28 of the Philadelphia Flyers  (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
Claude Giroux #28 of the Philadelphia Flyers  (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /

Claude Giroux – Philadelphia Flyers (1 year, $8.275m AAV)

This one needed to be brought up.

In recent weeks, Senators fans have been particularly focused on the longtime Flyers captain and his potential availability as Philadelphia ponders offseason moves after a disappointing regular season. Giroux’s situation in Philadelphia is quite similar to that of the aforementioned Sean Monahan in Calgary.

Claude Giroux has plenty of ties to the City of Ottawa, which would make this potential move a “coming home” in some sense. He played minor hockey in nearby Navan, Ontario and spent his Junior career with the Gatineau Olympiques of the QMJHL. Again, those who follow the Senators know how important these kind of connections are to those in the organization.

The Philadelphia Flyers followed up a fantastic 2019-20 campaign with a miserable 2020-21. Giroux’s production largely stayed the course though, as he finished 2nd in team scoring with 16 goals and 43 points in 54 games. The 33-year-old is not the elite player that he once was, but his play-driving numbers remained strong, as he was top three among Flyers regulars in both CF% and xGF%.

Besides his on-ice impact, Giroux brings a wealth of experience in both the regular season and playoffs to a Senators team that does not have a lot of either. A player of his calibre could do wonders for younger star forwards like Brady Tkachuk, Drake Batherson, and Josh Norris.

There’s an obvious “buyer beware” sentiment surrounding this proposal because of Giroux’s age and the potential acquisition cost. Based on his reputation and production, the starting point of a deal would likely begin with a top Senators prospect, such as Ridly Greig, or a first-round pick. However, to acquire an extremely valuable piece like Giroux, the Senators will need to gamble on dealing away young players.

Claude Giroux (hopefully with a contract extension) could definitely be the right player for the Senators to deal for. If not, the Senators could always target the player in free agency next offseason.

Home/Analysis