NHL Rumors: Philadelphia Flyers Will Name Claude Giroux Captain


Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

 

Word on the streets is that the Philadelphia Flyers will name Claude Giroux their new captain on Jan. 16.

The Flyers have been captain-less since November 2011, which is when Chris Pronger went down with an injury he still hasn’t recovered from, a concussion and its attendant effects that could very well spell the end of his career. In the wake of Pronger’s injury, the Flyers decided not to give the captaincy to anyone else in the meantime and instead, Giroux formed part of a three-alternate coalition with Danny Briere and Kimmo Timonen.

The two-time team leader for points, Giroux came in third in the entire league for scoring in 2011-12 with 93 points (28 goals, 65 assists). He’s vastly improved his production every year he’s been playing on Broad Street, plus he stayed in game shape during the most recent lockout by playing with Briere in Germany. During the dramatic first round of the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs, he set a team record for most points in a single playoff game by notching six in the second game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Plus, he recently celebrated his 25th birthday.

Giroux’s coach, Peter Laviolette, has referred to him as the best player in the world. He was recently ranked third on TSN’s list of top 50 NHL players and his mug appears on the cover of NHL 13. This might just be the Year of the Giroux.

If selected, Giroux will be the 19th captain in the team’s history. There is no word yet on what the team would do about alternate captains, though, but perhaps Briere and Timonen could continue to serve in those roles.

Which NHL players have the highest exceptions going into the shortened season?
Check out the top NHL players hurt by the lockout

Make a Rant

Around the Web