Senators’ Claude Giroux makes declaration about 2026-27 NHL desires

The Ottawa Senators have been eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Carolina Hurricanes swept the Senators in four games, ending the season for the Senators.

As the season has come to an end, Claude Giroux is now addressing his future, per Alex Adams of SportsNet.

“I think everybody does, right? But…. it’s too early to even answer that question for me,” Grioux said in response to if he wants to play again next year. Further, he said if he is to play in 2026-27, he would want to do so with the Senators.

Giroux was the 22nd overall pick of the 2006 NHL Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers. He would break into the NHL for two games in 2007-08, before becoming a full-time NHL player midway through the next season. He would play over 1,000 games in Philadelphia before being traded to the Florida Panthers in March of 2022.

Following the Panthers elimination in the playoffs, Giroux was a free agent. He signed a three-year deal with the Ottawa Senators. He has played 1,345 games in his career, lighting the lamp 379 times while racking up 786 helpers. He also played another 105 games in the playoffs, amassing 86 points.

At 38 years old, Grioux now has a decision to make. Does he continue to chase a Stanley Cup, which has eluded him thus far, or does he call it a career? He will have his pick of teams if he does continue his career. Giroux just finished a one-year deal he signed ahead of the 2025-26 season, which was worth $4.75 million. If he does want to re-sign with the Senators, he may need to take a discount, with the Senators projected to have just over $16 million in cap space.

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