Claude Giroux

For the wrestler of the same name, see Claude Giroux (wrestler).

Claude Giroux
Born	January 12, 1988 (1988-01-12) Hearst, ON, CAN
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight	172 lb (78 kg; 12 st 4 lb)
Position	Right wing / Centre
Shoots	Right
NHL team	Philadelphia Flyers
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	22nd overall, 2006 Philadelphia Flyers
Playing career	2007–present
Website	claudegiroux28.com

Claude Giroux (French pronunciation: [klod ʒiʁu]; born January 12, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player and alternate captain of the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Giroux was the Flyers' first round draft selection in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, being drafted 22nd overall. Prior to playing in the NHL, Giroux played his major junior career with the Gatineau Olympiques of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), where he led his team to a 2008 President's Cup and earned the Guy Lafleur Trophy as the 2008 playoff MVP.

Playing career

Minor hockey

Giroux grew up playing hockey in his hometown of Hearst, Ontario, and played Bantam A for the Hearst Lumber Kings (NOHA) in the 2001–02 season. He and his family moved to Orléans, Ontario in the summer of 2002. In Orléans, Giroux played Major Bantam and Minor Midget AA for the Cumberland Barons in the 2002–03 and 2003–04 seasons, while attending French Catholic high school Béatrice-Desloges. Giroux entered the 2005 OHL draft but was undrafted.

Junior career

Giroux playing for Gatineau in 2007.

Giroux started his career by signing with the Gatineau Olympiques as a free agent after playing in the Central Jr. A League for the Cumberland Grads. During his rookie season, he scored 39 goals for a total of 103 points in 69 games. He then entered the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, where the Philadelphia Flyers selected him 22nd overall. They signed him to an entry level contract on July 23, 2007.

Giroux was called up by the Flyers during the 2007–08 season, playing in his first two NHL games before being sent back to his junior team. Giroux made his NHL debut when the Flyers visited the Ottawa Senators on February 19, 2008, recording no points and being the team's first shooter in the shootout.

Finishing his tenure in Gatineau, he helped the club win the QMJHL Playoffs and earned himself the Guy Lafleur Trophy as MVP in the QMJHL Playoffs by scoring 17 goals and 34 assists in 19 playoff games, also setting a franchise record.

Professional career

After a disappointing training camp for the Flyers at the beginning of the 2008–09 season, he was assigned to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Philadelphia Phantoms. However, after getting used to professional hockey, things turned around quickly. He was named Rookie of the Month for December for his eight goals and six assists in eight games. He was called up to the Flyers after the Christmas break and remained there throughout the rest of the season. On December 31, he recorded his first NHL point by assisting on a goal by Jeff Carter in a win over the Vancouver Canucks. He suffered a mild concussion during the next game when Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks elbowed him in the head. Giroux finished the game but missed the next five; Perry was suspended for four games. On January 27, 2009, Giroux scored his first NHL goal against goaltender Tomáš Vokoun and the Florida Panthers in a 3–2 loss. His first playoff goal came in a 6–3 win in game three of the 2009 Eastern Conference quarter-finals against Marc-André Fleury of the Pittsburgh Penguins. The same game also saw him setting up a short-handed goal when he stole the puck in the corner of the Penguins zone and outworked their backcheck, skating past the back of their net twice protecting the puck while looking for incoming support in the form of Simon Gagné.

The Flyers were an inconsistent team for the bulk of the 2009–10 season, which affected all of their players. Giroux spent a large amount of time centering James van Riemsdyk, the highly touted rookie winger that the Flyers had drafted no. 2 overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. However, the Flyers' fortunes turned dramatically after they entered the playoffs, on Giroux's game-winner in the shootout, going five-hole on Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers. Giroux was a major point producer in a first round of the playoffs, dismantling of the second seeded New Jersey Devils. The Flyers made an historic comeback from 3 games to 0 down against the Boston Bruins to win the next four and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they dominated the Montreal Canadiens. Giroux scored the winning goal in overtime vs. the Chicago Blackhawks in game 3 of the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals, but despite his continued production, the Flyers eventually lost in overtime in Game 6 of the finals. Giroux ended up with 21 points, cementing his reputation as an outstanding young talent.

A month into the 2010–11 season, the Flyers signed Giroux to a 3-year, $11.25 million contract extension. The contract, which was signed on November 8, 2010, will account for a $3.75 million cap hit annually On January 11, 2011, Giroux was named to the 2011 NHL All-Star Game roster. The game, was held in Raleigh, North Carolina at the RBC Center on January 30, it was the first utilizing the NHL's new format under which two captains are named and each select their teams in school yard fashion. Giroux was selected to Team Staal and had a goal and an assist, but it was not enough and Team Lidstrom defeated Team Staal 11–10. GIroux finished his breakout season with 25 goals and 51 assists in 82 games and scored a goal and 11 assists in 11 playoff games, in which the Flyers defeated the Sabres and were defeated by the Bruins. Giroux played his 200th career game on Saturday March 26, 2011 against the New York Islanders.

After the Flyers traded away Jeff Carter and Mike Richards in the 2011 off-season, Giroux took over the role as first line center for the club. This change formed a line with Scott Hartnell and free agent acquisition Jaromir Jagr. Giroux was handled as a favorite for the Hart Trophy for league MVP early in the season. Giroux was once again named to the 2012 NHL All-Star Game in January 2012. Giroux was selected to Team Alfredsson and scored a goal assisted by Flyers teammate Scott Hartnell and linemate Logan Couture. Team Chara eventually won the game, 12-9.

International play

Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Competitor for Canada
World Junior Championships
Gold	2008 Czech Republic

Giroux competed with Team Canada in the IIHF World Junior Ice Hockey Championship and in 2008. He scored two goals and also had four assists in seven games to help Canada win its fourth consecutive WJC.

Personal life

Giroux was born on January 12, 1988 in Hearst, Ontario to Raymond and Nicole Giroux. He has one sister, Isabelle.

Awards and Honors

• Played in the 2005–06 CHL Top Prospects Game
• QMJHL Rookie of the Month - December 2005 and March 2006
• 2005–06 QMJHL All-Rookie Team
• QMJHL Offensive Player of the Month - September 2006
• 2008 President's Cup (QMJHL Playoff Champion) with Gatineau Olympiques
• 2008 Guy Lafleur Trophy (QMJHL Playoff MVP)
• 2007–08 QMJHL First All-Star Team
• 2007–08 Canadian Major Junior First All-Star Team
• AHL Rookie of the Month December 2008

NHL

• 2010 Prince of Wales Trophy with the Philadelphia Flyers
• Played in the All-Star Game in 2011 and 2012

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2003–04	Cumberland Barons	ODMHA		39	31	28	59	28		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	Cumberland Grads	CJHL		48	13	27	40	28		—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	Gatineau Olympiques	QMJHL		69	39	64	103	64		17	5	15	20	24
2006–07	Gatineau Olympiques	QMJHL		63	48	64	112	49		5	2	5	7	2
2006–07	Philadelphia Phantoms	AHL		5	1	1	2	6		—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Gatineau Olympiques	QMJHL		55	38	68	106	37		19	17	34	51	6
2007–08	Gatineau Olympiques	M-Cup		—	—	—	—	—		3	1	1	2	2
2007–08	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		2	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Philadelphia Phantoms	AHL		33	17	17	34	22		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		42	9	18	27	14		6	2	3	5	6
2009–10	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		82	16	31	47	23		23	10	11	21	4
2010–11	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		82	25	51	76	47		11	1	11	12	8
NHL totals				208	50	100	150	84		40	13	25	38	18

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2008	Canada	WJC			7	2	4	6	8
Junior international totals					7	2	4	6	8

External links

• Official website
• Claude Giroux's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
• Claude Giroux at Hockey-Reference.com
• Claude Giroux's biography at Legends of Hockey
• Claude Giroux's NHL player profile

Preceded by Steve Downie

Philadelphia Flyers' first round draft pick 2006

Succeeded by James van Riemsdyk