Ottawa Senators forward Claude Giroux isn’t ready to call it a career just yet.
TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reported Tuesday that the pending unrestricted free agent plans to return for a 20th NHL season this fall. Giroux had taken some time after Ottawa’s first-round playoff exit to figure things out with his family before landing on the decision to keep playing.
Giroux's not ready to hang them up yet
The 38-year-old is still a steady part of the Senators’ group, even if the role looks a little different now. He played all 82 games this past season, finishing with 14 goals and 49 points while spending most nights in a matchup role down the middle. The offence comes and goes a bit more than it used to, but the trust level from the coaching staff has stayed consistent.
The playoffs were quieter. Giroux didn’t register a point in Ottawa’s four-game series loss to Carolina, and that stood out, but internally his value didn’t really shift because of it. He was still leaned on for faceoffs, defensive zone starts, and just keeping things calm in games that can get chaotic fast.
He is coming off a one-year deal worth $2 million, with bonuses that could push it to $3 million. That kind of short-term structure feels like the template again if he returns. It keeps things flexible for both sides without overcommitting at this stage of his career.
From Ottawa’s perspective, there’s still a clear need for that kind of presence. The Senators are trying to push further into contention, but the forward group is still young in a lot of spots. Having someone who has seen everything Giroux has seen matters, especially in tight games and playoff-type environments where details start to decide things.
There’s also the personal side of it. Giroux and his family are settled in the Ottawa area now, and that comfort level has become part of the equation. He’s not bouncing around at this point in his career, and that stability tends to weigh in.
He’s also closing in on milestones like 1,400 career games and 400 goals, which adds another layer to the decision-making. At this stage, those benchmarks tend to matter more than chasing long-term contracts.
Nothing is official yet, but a return to Ottawa still feels like the most natural outcome heading into July 1.
Add us as a preferred source on Google