The Flyers can’t believe their captain isn’t going to Sochi.
Following news that Claude Giroux was passed over for the Canadian Olympic team, several of Giroux’s teammates jumped to his defense and criticized the decision, per the Philadelphia Daily News:
“Shocking,” Brayden Schenn described it.
“I think it sucks,” Wayne Simmonds said. “Over the last month and a half, to two months, with the exception of our slow start as a team, he’s [bleeping] led our team.”
“I think everyone was disappointed,” Scott Hartnell said. “He deserves to be on that team.”
Giroux had an admittedly slow start to the season -- it took him over a month to score his first goal -- but has come on recently and is a big reason why Philly has gone 20-10-4 since its rough opening to the campaign.
Giroux had 19 points in 14 December games and ripped off a nine-game point streak, in which he scored six goals and 11 assists. He was also a major catalyst in the club’s first four-game winning stretch of the season and scored this highlight-reel beauty against Columbus:
Giroux seemed upset, but relatively reserved in describing his emotions following the roster announcement.
“It was one of my dreams to play for Team Canada,” Giroux told CSN Philly. “A lot of good players in Canada, a lot of talent, so, obviously, it is disappointing.”
Update: Brian Engblom caught up with Giroux before tonight’s NBCSN game against the New Jersey Devils for a little more: