Flyers fans, soak it in while you can. One of the best players— if not the best— in franchise history could be playing his last few games at the Wells Fargo Center.
Claude Giroux, who is on an expiring deal, is 34-years-old and is probably the most attractive trade asset on a team stuck in the mud in the standings right now, sounds like he is preparing to waive his no-movement clause ahead of the March 21st NHL trade deadline.
And according to hockey insider Adrian Dater, he's revealed under what conditions he would be willing to relinquish that line item in his contract:
"Even talking to him after the practice and how difficult this is in so many different ways for a guy like G," Flyers interim head coach Mike Yeo said Monday, via NBC Sports Philly. "First of all, he played his butt off last game and we still come up short, we still lose the game and I could see the disappointment, the frustration, whatever you want to call it. It's very discouraging and it's difficult, yet, I have full confidence he's going to go out there and do the same thing again next game.
"He cares very much about this organization and obviously the fact that we're struggling right now, he takes that very personally. So that part's very difficult. And then you add on the stress, the uncertainty of what's to come. You can just tell the way that he plays night after night, the way that he comes to the rink, the way that he acts as a professional, the way that he acts in the dressing room, on the bench, on the ice, how much he cares about this organization, so it's very stressful obviously."
If this report is indeed true, his thinking makes sense. Colorado is in first place in the central division and has more points than any other NHL team. Minnesota has the second most points in the central. St. Louis is in the heart of a playoff race in the central as well. Not surprisingly, none of those teams play in the Flyers' division or in their conference. However, all three are on the Flyers' schedule in the month of March.
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Regardless of where Giroux is traded, he will become an unrestricted free agent this summer unless he inks an extension, meaning he could be on the move twice before the start of the 2022-23 season.
The question more and more seems to be not if, but when the end of Giroux's tenure arrives. With the Flyers having as many as three teams in the mix for Giroux — assuming Colorado, Minnesota and St. Louis are all interested — the captain has done the front office a big favor. They can now send G to the team that provides the highest bid, a nice parting gift to the franchise where he has played his entire career.
Philly has nine home games and 16 in total remaining before the deadline. If Philadelphia wins all 16 (a task that is all but impossible), the Flyers would have 70 points, which might be enough to have them back in the playoff picture. But short of that insane turnaround (with a bevy of important players still injured) they'll remain sellers come deadline day.
The team is in full rebuild mode, and unfortunately for fans and for Giroux, shipping him off for the best possible return is the best course of action for a team desperate to win.
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