Today is a sad day for Philadelphia Flyers fans. Today (Saturday, March 19th) is the day Claude Giroux got traded from the franchise. Being the avid Flyers fan that I am, I apologize in advance, because this blog post might get a little sentimental. Claude Giroux was the captain of the Flyers since 2013, making him the longest tenured captain in Flyers history. When I think of the Philadelphia Flyers, I think of Claude Giroux.
Some people grew up with Tom Brady, some with Kobe Bryant. However, I grew up with Claude. Giroux’s first game was in 2008, so I grew up while he simultaneously grew as a player. I was there, watching and supporting, while he accomplished all his milestones. I remember seeing him get appointed captain and being so happy for him as if he were my best friend. I remember how emotional I got when he was named this year’s NHL All Star Game MVP, knowing it was likely his last ever all star game as a Flyer. While this may seem a little bias so far, I promise it is not. His career statistics don’t lie.
Claude Giroux played exactly 1,000 games with the Philadelphia Flyers, making him the 368th player to play at least 1,000 games. This may seem like a large number at first, but it is only a small fraction of the 7,623 players who have played since the birth of the NHL in 1917. He is one of only two Philadelphia Flyers who played 1,000 games under the organization, sharing this milestone with other Flyers great Bobby Clarke. Speaking of Bobby Clarke, Claude Giroux is the most awarded player of the Bobby Clarke Trophy, which is awarded to the most valuable Philadelphia Flyer each year. Giroux also sits behind only Bobby Clarke in many franchise records, as he is ranked second in number of assists and points earned throughout his career. Giroux’s success is not only seen in the Flyers franchise. He has been a dominant player in the league as a whole over the past decade.
Claude Giroux has scored the fourth most points (which are the number of combined goals and assists in hockey) in the NHL since 2010. He trails only NHL skill superstars Patrick Kane, Sidney Crosby, and Alexander Ovechkin. In fact, he leads all current NHL players in number of assists since 2010. This is an impressive statistic, considering the skill of many NHL players of that decade. He has also played in seven NHL All Star Games over the course of his career.
Claude Giroux embodies everything a good captain should be. He has the skill, determination, and leadership that any team would desire. While I will certainly miss him here in Philly, I wish him the best of luck with the Florida Panthers. I would have loved to see him win the Stanley Cup as a Philadelphia Flyer, but that was sadly not the case. Nonetheless, it would be a shame if a player as talented and good-hearted as Giroux never won the league’s highest accolade. Giroux is getting older and his career may be coming to a close, so I really hope he is able to lift the cup with the Panthers at the end of this playoff season, even if he isn’t doing it in the orange and black.
Image links: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbaps-mOzm5/
https://www.nhl.com/news/philadelphia-captain-claude-giroux-motivated-by-early-snubs/c-304642166
Great post! I definitely relate to your feeling of growing up with a team and seeing the players advance in their careers and lives since I grew up going to Pittsburgh Penguins games with my dad. However, I didn’t really know much about Giroux’s career but I’ve only heard good things. Since I don’t keep up with hockey that much anymore this reminded me how sentimental it is for me, great writing!
Hi Megan,
This is a great post! I loved reading through it specially for the fact that we can appreciate your passion and enthusiasm for this team as well as for Claude Giroux. It is obvious that you possess incredible knowledge about his athletic history and the statistics behind this one. We can also appreciate how much you love this sport and are a fan of this wildly successful team and especially, its captain.
I truly enjoy reading your blogs since, as stated previously, we can truly feel your passion for this topic. On the other hand, I it is some great writing as well!
Hey Megan!
As a Flyer’s fan myself, I felt the emotion of your words like I had felt them on my own. I definitely agree with you the Claude’s dynasty was larger than the Flyers, but its his statistics that tell the whole story. I myself even learned something about him from your blog, and I loved the great amount of detail that you put into it. I always love reading something that someone is passionate about. I also loved the pictures, they truly brought further emotion to the blog!