- Claude Giroux is set to hit unrestricted free agency July 1 with no new Senators deal in place
- GM Steve Staios says Ottawa is still “very interested” in bringing the veteran back
- Read below for the latest on what Giroux wants for a 20th NHL season
Claude Giroux is about to test free agency for the first time in a while.
The 38-year-old forward is set to hit the open market at noon on July 1 with no new deal in place to stay in Ottawa. Senators general manager Steve Staios said after the draft that the team is still “very interested” in bringing Giroux back, but the two sides have not closed the gap.
Here’s a breakdown of where things sit with Giroux and the Senators:
Giroux has made it clear he wants to keep playing. LeBrun reported back in May that Giroux plans to suit up for a 20th NHL season, and his first choice is a return to Ottawa.
Structure of the deal is the holdup, not desire on either side. Giroux signed a one-year contract worth $2 million last summer after taking a discount to stay, and the Senators have spent the past few weeks trying to line up something in the same neighborhood.
His résumé still holds up. Giroux put up 14 goals and 35 assists for 49 points in all 82 games this past season, and he finished a plus-20. He has missed exactly one game across four full seasons in Ottawa, which is the kind of durability teams pay for.
He landed in Ottawa in 2022 on a three-year, $6.5 million deal after a long run with the Flyers. The Hearst, Ontario native has talked openly about wanting to finish his career close to home.
LeBrun broke the original signing back in the summer of 2022:
If Giroux does reach free agency, he won’t sit there long. A veteran who can still score, kill penalties and hold a room together is exactly the type of player contenders chase on July 1. The Senators have until then to make sure he never gets the chance to look around.
