Maple Leafs Urged to Trade for Claude Giroux to Bolster Forward Depth, Per Hockey Analyst
The Toronto Maple Leafs have been urged to trade for long-time Philadelphia Flyers captain and current Ottawa Senator Claude Giroux to help their forward depth.
If Brad Treliving wants to add some forward depth to his lineup, he has the chance to target one of the league's best players for the last decade and the longest-tenured captain in Philadelphia Flyers history.
Per The Hockey Writers' Jesse Courville-Lynch, Toronto could benefit hugely from Claude Giroux if they acquired him from a struggling Ottawa Senators team.
Why Toronto Needs To Target Claude Giroux
Giroux, 36, has been one of the league's best players for the last decade-plus.
The longest-tenured captain in Flyers history holds several franchise records, as well as playing for Team Canada three times in the IIHF World Championships.
Drafted 22nd overall in 2006, Giroux has continued to play at an elite pace even this season. Scoring 17 points in 22 games for a struggling Senators team, it brings his current career totals to 356 goals and 727 assists in 1204 NHL games.
His offensive versatility would give Toronto the chance to add a forward who can play on any line, both wings and center, and provide the Leafs with an additional offensive weapon without sacrificing their need for more defense.
An incredible 56.2% for his career from the faceoff circle, Giroux brings Toronto the third-line center they desperately need, and one who comes with a bevy of playoff experience. In 95 playoff games, he has 81 points and has made the Stanley Cup Finals once before.
There is the issue of his contract, being a $6.5M cap hit however Ottawa would likely retain salary if they would rather cut ties with the veteran and give him a chance to win the Cup as his career winds down.
How Claude Giroux Lines Up With Maple Leafs
Giroux instantly adds another veteran and fits perfectly on any line Craig Berube would want to use him in. He can handle top-line duties as a winger alongside Auston Matthews, or patrol his own group on the third line.
Not only that but Giroux would give Toronto another weapon on special teams, given his 399 powerplay points as well as being an elite penalty killer.
Toronto would be able to give their other forwards a bit of a break as well, and considering they have been dealing with a bunch of injuries to their key players; it would be a welcome reprieve from a known Iron Man.
A potential lineup with Giroux could look something like this:
McMann -- Matthews -- Nylander
Knies -- Giroux -- Marner
Domi -- Tavares -- Holmberg
Lorentz -- Minten -- Grebenkin
Adding Giroux alongside Mitch Marner (who has been on fire lately), and blossoming power forward Matthew Knies would give Toronto a very deadly Top 6 and also fix the issue of splitting up Marner and Matthews which they need to do.
FAQ: Maple Leafs Urged To Acquire Claude Giroux From Ottawa
Q1: Why is Toronto being urged to acquire Claude Giroux?
A1: A veteran of over 1200 NHL games, Giroux would add offensive and defensive versatility to the Maple Leafs and not only increase their bottom line production but give them another top tier scoring option.
Q2: How much would Giroux cost Toronto?
A2: In terms of cap hit, Giroux would cost Toronto $6.5M however it would be more than likely the Ottawa Senators would take on some salary in order to get a trade done.
In closing, the Maple Leafs have a chance to add one of the NHL's best players over the last decade, an icon for the Philadelphia Flyers, and the key to their success when it comes to a solid Stanley Cup playoff run.
| POLL | ||
Should Toronto trade for Ottawa's Claude Giroux? | ||
| Yes he would be great! | 373 | 43.8 % |
| No, it might ruin a good thing | 478 | 56.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
