How does one say goodbye to a modern-day franchise legend? This was the question that Philadelphia Flyers fans were forced to wrestle with this week as captain Claude Giroux played – and won – his 1000th game in the orange and black.
The celebrations were bittersweet. It had long been suggested that Giroux would be a top target at the trade deadline. With March 21st drawing ever closer, the shadow of his near-inevitable departure loomed at the front of everyone’s minds. His teammates’ congratulatory hugs looked like farewells; his postgame interview was somber, and he seemed to drop several hints that he would be leaving soon.
Indeed, for the third and final game of the week, Giroux stayed behind in Philadelphia while the Flyers traveled to face the Ottawa Senators. Rumors continue to fly, with the Florida Panthers and Colorado Avalanche apparently in a bidding war for his services. Come Monday, Giroux should be with a far better team than the Flyers, hopefully starting down the road to his first Stanley Cup. But for the city that had the honor and privilege of having him as captain for a decade and as a player for 15 years, it will be a heartbreaking loss.
Hot and Cold Streaks, Including Claude Giroux
Hot Streak: Claude Giroux
What makes Claude Giroux so special? Well, from a hockey perspective, there’s his spectacular talent and consequential success. On Thursday, he became just the second player to complete 1000 games with Philadelphia. He’s been so incredibly good throughout his career from a scoring standpoint, landing himself in the top eight all-time in goals by Flyers players and in second for both assists and total points. In fact, click on any franchise leaderboard and you’re likely to find Giroux within the top 10 (at the very least).
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There’s also his versatility. Giroux makes an excellent left wing or centre, a skill that will serve him well as he assimilates to a new lineup. He can play in any situation, from the power play (where he’s been on ice for 461 total goals) to the penalty kill. And he’s incredibly clutch, with 46 career game-winning goals. (That puts him in seventh in team history, just two behind Reggie Leach and one behind Simon Gagne.)
But of course, it would be a crime not to mention some of the many intangibles Giroux brings every time he takes the ice. He is incredibly competitive; perfectionistic, even. He cares about every single game, he cares about his fellow players, and he does everything within his power to inspire even a failing team. He’s a leader. A mentor. And yet, despite all his skill and drive, he maintains a levelheaded kind of humility.
The crowd’s raucousness in Giroux’s 1000th game reveals everything that needs to be known about the captain. On that night, an arena that had remained empty and silent for much of the season roared with life and excitement as chants of “Giroux” and “let’s go, Flyers” buoyed the team from start to finish. That night, the city celebrated an icon. And wherever his journey takes him next, the hearts of Philadelphians will be with him all the way.
Honorable Mention: Cam Atkinson
On Friday, Cam Atkinson sported a shiny new “A” on his sweater. With the amount of offence he produced this week, it was only fitting. Against the Montreal Canadiens, he scored a tap-in goal to give the Flyers a 3-2 lead. Then, facing the Nashville Predators, Atkinson assisted on James van Riemsdyk‘s tally. To close out the week, he logged another goal, a beautiful backhand deflection. (Currently, he leads the team with 23 goals and 46 points on the season.) As Giroux seems set to move on, having Atkinson around will bolster the Flyers’ leadership group through the impending change.
Cold Streak: Morgan Frost
Morgan Frost is back with the Flyers, but he has yet to hit his stride. He hasn’t been horrible, per se – but he also hasn’t been noticeable. And when a young player slots into the lineup at 2C, he’s got to be at least somewhat “noticeable”. In the Montreal game, Frost did pick up an assist. But he ended with a -1 against Nashville, and picked up a hooking penalty against Ottawa’s Tim Stützle. Normally, that wouldn’t be too much of a problem – except that Justin Braun and Rasmus Ristolainen were both also sitting in the penalty box. On the following power play, Josh Norris would score the goal that put the game out of reach for the Flyers.
Frost has been in and out of the lineup this year. But with his potential touted as that of a top-six centre, he needs to prove that he can perform that role to get a shot at staying with the Flyers. Hopefully, with more time in the NHL, Frost may be able to smooth out his game and avoid some of the errors he made this week.
