Claude Giroux enters another offseason coming off of a one-year deal and is now 38 years old. Should the Ottawa Senators consider re-signing him? It’s crazy to think that it’s been 20 years since Claude Giroux was drafted into the NHL. Selected 22nd overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers, Giroux has carved out a pretty good career for himself. Of course, it didn’t get off to the greatest start with then general manager Bobby Clarke forgetting his name at the podium.
Claude Giroux Contract Extension Discussion
He’s likely to eventually earn a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame as he possesses 1,165 points in 1,345 NHL games. The numbers are very good and maybe too good to ignore. He was top 5 in scoring in the league in the 2010s and maintained a great level of consistency.
The international success is also there albeit he lacks a major individual award and hasn’t won a Stanley Cup. Anyway, that’s a discussion for another day. The relevant question as it pertains to the Ottawa Senators is: would it be smart to bring back Giroux at this stage in his career?
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At 38 years old and coming off signing a one-year deal filled with bonuses signed last summer, he must feel like he’s in a familiar spot. Not to mention coming off of a disappointing first-round Stanley Cup Playoff exit as well. Can he be part of the solution moving forward? Or is it time to cut bait and get a little younger?
The Model of Consistency
From a performance standpoint, general manager Steve Staios might as well hand Giroux the same contract he did a year ago. He’s essentially been the same player. For reference, Staios signed Giroux to a one-year, $2 million extension last summer, which included an additional $2.75 million in performance bonuses.
Giroux also attained all the individual bonuses in his contract as well. He did that in typical Claude Giroux fashion. He was healthy, was a big leader for that group and produced offensively. He’s missed only one game in the last four seasons with the Senators and put up 49 points this season. That’s just one less than the year before.
Giroux also boasted one of the best faceoff percentages in the league for 2025-26, working at a clip over 60 percent in nearly 800 faceoffs taken. On top of that, his underlying numbers were quite positive as he posted a 55.8 Corsi-for percentage. Generally, the team has the greater share of the scoring chances when he’s on the ice and they start with the puck way more often than not.
Now this all depends on whether Giroux would actually like to keep playing. Based on his season-ending media availability, it seems like he’s leaning more towards yes than no.
What Giroux Still Brings
If there’s a knock on Claude Giroux, as we witness what’s happening in the second round of the playoffs, it’s that he’s not the fleetest of foot. The league continues to get younger and faster with each passing year, and there is some concern as to whether he can keep up speed-wise.
That’s been true for all of his years with the Senators though. Plus, he’s managed to overcome that with his offensive production, high hockey IQ, faceoff ability, defence and leadership ability.
He’s also built a reputation for being a hard worker in the offseason, spending long periods of time in the gym as he tries to ward off the effects of being an older player. There’s also the mental grind of an NHL season, which is also something he’ll have to consider when thinking about playing another year.
Unfinished Business
When the dust eventually settles, he still wants to accomplish the ultimate goal which has evaded him his entire career. There’s still a strong sense of unfinished business for him, and I’m sure he’d love to do it with the Senators.
He has a connection with the guys in that room and that can’t be overlooked. Claude Giroux is a big part of the leadership core and he is helping to guide a group of young players closer to being a true Cup contender. They took some big steps this season, but there are still plenty to learn and Giroux can play an integral role in facilitating that.
With four years now under his belt in Ottawa, Giroux was part of a group of Senators teams that at times, didn’t stick to their identity and were led astray as a result. They now seem to be finding their swagger. It was a season where they stuck to the process even though the results didn’t go their way for a long time.
Where Do Things Go From Here?
So where does that leave things for Claude Giroux? All signs point to another one-year deal that keeps him around for one more run at the ultimate prize. It certainly feels that the Senators is the only organization he’d be comfortable with re-upping with at this point. The fit is there, his role with the team is clear and the motivation to try to get it done in Ottawa is there as well.
It will ultimately be up to Giroux whether he genuinely wants to play another year or not but he is still clearly a valuable piece to a team. Especially to this team. Based on his words, his play and his connection to everybody in that locker room, it’s hard to imagine we’ve seen the last of Claude Giroux in the NHL. The Senators should be hoping so as well.
Main Photo Credit: Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
