Claude Giroux may be nearing his 30th birthday, and he may be coming off one of the worst statistical seasons of his NHL career. But his general manager gave him a vote of confidence today.
“He’s not on the decline,” said Ron Hextall, per CSN Philly. “I know this, I’ll be shocked next year if you guys don’t ask me in January how has G turned this around. He’s a very driven athlete, very driven.”
Giroux finished 2016-17 with 14 goals and 44 assists in 82 games. His 58 points were nine fewer than last year, 15 fewer than the year before, 28 fewer than the year before that, and a whopping 35 fewer than 2011-12, when he finished third in NHL scoring.
Giroux is signed for five more years at a cap hit of $8.275 million, so it’s imperative for the Flyers that he does bounce back. His contract includes a no-movement clause, and he says he’s not leaving Philadelphia.