Slam Dunk Or Tough Call? Will The Senators Re-Sign UFA Claude Giroux?

It’s hard to believe it’s now been 20 years since Claude Giroux was drafted into the NHL. Selected 22nd overall in 2006, Giroux’s name famously slipped the mind of Philadelphia Flyers GM Bobby Clarke when he walked up to the podium microphone that day. Two decades later, Giroux has carved out a career that's been completely unforgettable.

A spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame probably awaits the man they call 'G,' because at 1,165 points in 1,345 NHL games, his numbers are just getting too good to ignore. But that's a question for another day. The immediate question is this: How much longer does Giroux, one of the most respected men in hockey, actually want to play?

At 38, and coming off a one-year, bonus-laden deal signed last summer, Giroux is probably feeling a strong case of deja vu. He's a veteran UFA coming off another disappointing first-round defeat and ready to open offseason talks with the Sens again. From a performance standpoint, GM Steve Staios might as well just print off a duplicate of Giroux's contract from last summer, because he was almost exactly the same player.

Staios signed Giroux to a one-year, $2 million extension for the 2025–26 season, which included an additional $2. 75 million in performance bonuses. As a sidebar, Giroux scooped up all the individual bonuses, but none of the $1.