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Home, sweet home.
Claude Giroux signed a three-year, $19.5 million U.S. deal with the Ottawa Senators as an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2022, because he wanted to continue his career in the place he made his off-season home and to help the club’s young core get to the next level.
Though he’s in the final year of his contract if the 36-year-old wants to stay with the Senators, Steve Staios, the club’s president of hockey operations and general manager, told the Ottawa Citizen in an interview on Thursday that Giroux will likely be offered that opportunity.
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“Of course,” Staios said when asked whether he’d approach Giroux. “I won’t get into contract discussions because that’s not fair to anybody but certainly Claude is a heck of a player.”
The club already signed goaltender Linus Ullmark to a four-year, $33 million extension before the season and it would make sense to keep Giroux.
Heading into the club’s game against the New York Rangers on Friday night, Giroux is on a seven-game point-scoring streak with four goals, six assists and 10 points in that stretch.
Giroux is the best free agent signing in franchise history and it only makes sense to keep him. In 173 career games with the Senators, the former captain of the Philadelphia Flyers has notched 61 goals and 154 points.
His teammates respect what he brings to the table.
“He’s been awesome,” said centre Josh Norris, who took a perfect feed from Giroux to open the scoring in the club’s 8-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday. “Just to see his work ethic every day, how much he loves hockey, not only how much fun he has, but how serious he takes it too.
“He’s been a big mentor for me. I don’t know if he realizes that, but he’s really big for our team. I like playing with him, it’s a lot of fun.”
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Ottawa feels like the right place for Giroux to finish out his career. He will turn 37 years old in January and his wife, Ryanne, just gave birth to the couple’s third child last month. The setup here is good with family close by and often making sure everyone is comfortable is half the battle for an NHL player.
An alternate captain, Giroux has fit in well with this group because he does things the right way. He plays a key role with captain Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutlze, Thomas Chabot, Norris and the rest of the club’s core.
It might be premature to discuss a contract extension for Giroux because we’re only a month into the season, but the Senators plan to discuss that option with the veteran forward and his Los Angeles-based agent Pat Brisson at some point this season.
It would make sense if both sides visited these talks around the 20-game mark or at the end of November. The Senators will play seven games at home this month and seven on the road so we’ll have a good idea if this club is ready to make the next step.
“He just does it every year,” said Stutzle. “That’s most impressive about seeing him come to the rink every day. He works to get ready for the game and he’s definitely in love with the younger guys.
“It’s just the commitment he has to the city and the team. If there’s one person that doesn’t care about a seven-game point-scoring streak it’s him, he just wants to win. I’m super happy and thankful that we have him on our team. He just brings it every night.”
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