Leading up to free agency, there was rampant speculation regarding whether Claude Giroux would re-sign with the Ottawa Senators and, maybe more importantly, what it would cost. Thankfully, the Senators didn’t force their fan base to wait on bated breath, announcing the one-year, $2 million deal on June 29, 2025.
At 37 years old, Giroux isn’t the franchise player he once was, but he remains an important veteran presence on a young Senators roster. His experience and versatility will be crucial as Ottawa gears up to return to the playoffs in 2025-26.
Giroux by the Numbers
Drafted: 22nd Overall (First Round) in 2006 by the Philadelphia Flyers
Position: Right Wing (shoots right)
Height/Weight: 5-foot-11, 187 pounds
Age/Birthdate: 37 years old (12/01/1988)
Country: Canada
2024-25 Stats: 15 goals, 35 assists, 50 points in 81 games
Career Stats: 365 goals, 751 assists, 1,116 points in 1,263 games
How Giroux Got Here
In 2021-22, the Flyers had a difficult decision to make. After falling to last place in the Metropolitan Division, the team needed to rebuild. Giroux, the team’s captain, was a pending unrestricted free agent and carried an $8.275 million cap hit. Moving him would hopefully kickstart the process. But Giroux was a Flyers staple. That season was his 10th as team captain, and he had the second-most points and games played in franchise history. Moving him would not be easy, even if just for the sentimental factor.
Yet a deal was struck with the Florida Panthers for Owen Tippett, a first-round pick, and a third-round pick. In the final 18 games of the season, he put up 23 points, helping the Panthers finish first in the Atlantic, but they ran into the Tampa Bay Lightning in the second round, which sent Florida home in four games, ending Giroux’s pursuit of a Stanley Cup.
Related: Senators 2025-26 Player Preview: Shane Pinto
Giroux entered free agency that summer for the first time in his career, and while Florida would have loved to keep the skilled veteran, when Ottawa made an offer, the prospect of returning home was too good to pass up. “When the idea was to come back home and play for the Sens, I didn’t look back after that,” Giroux said. “I wouldn’t sign here if I didn’t think we had a chance to win the Cup…I’m not saying we’re going to win the Cup this year, but the plan is to build on it and have baby steps.”
Giroux’s Role in 2025-26
Since his arrival, Giroux has been a valuable second-line winger and was crucial in getting Ottawa into the playoffs for the first time in seven years, finishing second with five points in six games. When he decided to re-sign in Ottawa, it was a clear statement that he believed in what was being built in Ottawa and wanted to be part of it.
But Giroux is no longer the top-line winger he once was; over the past three seasons, his point totals have regressed from 79 to 64 to 50. This season, he’s most likely going to line up with Shane Pinto and Ridly Greig on the third line, with Fabian Zetterlund expected to take over the right side alongside Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle.
Giroux was fantastic in the faceoff dot last season, leading the Senators with a 61% win rate while taking nearly 1,000 draws. He was also one of Ottawa’s best possession players, finishing top five in Corsi for percentage (CF%) and expected plus/minus. He was even better in the playoffs, jumping from a 53.6 CF% to a 64.3 CF%, trailing only Stutzle and Tkachuk’s averages.
Unsurprisingly, Giroux was also Ottawa’s best forward on the penalty kill. Last season, he averaged nearly two and a half minutes per game while playing shorthanded, the most among forwards, yet finished ninth in goals against per 60 minutes. He wasn’t as strong on the power play, but other players will be expected to step up and take on bigger minutes in that area this season.
Giroux won’t ever flirt with 80 points again; in fact, he probably doesn’t have much gas left in the tank. But despite his age, he is still one of Ottawa’s best defensive forwards. He will be expected to be a mentor and an unofficial leader this season, working with the likes of Pinto and Greig to give them the skill and experience on shutting down the best players in the game. Although he isn’t a game breaker anymore, with him in their lineup, the Senators are much more prepared to win games in the playoffs.
