The Toronto Maple Leafs have already been one of the most active teams in free agency but they might be looking to add another free agent forward to the mix. But instead of some solid bottom-six help, it's a winger that has a borderline Hall of Fame case.
Claude Giroux is a free agent again. After the Philadelphia Flyers legend headed to the Ottawa Senators four seasons ago, he's been defying his age and putting up some very solid results for someone heading into his 40s. Despite him turning 39 years old in the middle of next season, Giroux just came off a 14-goal and 49-point campaign, and that was actually his least productive year in Ottawa.
And that's probably why the Maple Leafs are interested in signing him for potentially his last year in the NHL.
Maple Leafs interested in signing Claude Giroux
According to The Ottawa Sun's Bruce Garrioch, the Leafs are just one of three teams who are still in the running for GIroux's signature.
"The Toronto Maple Leafs have also spoken with Giroux’s camp and remain keenly interested, while the Edmonton Oilers made a pitch, but well-respected Sportsnet columnist Mark Spector says they’re no longer involved," Garrioch wrote on Saturday.
The other two teams are obviously the Senators -- who he signed with in the first place for family reasons -- and the Flyers, to return to his other home in the NHL. The Oilers did have interest but as Garrioch mentioned, it has been squashed.
So, really it is the Maple Leafs who are the only team that can give Giroux something new, and he wouldn't be leaving too far from home. While the Senators are certainly a good hockey team, maybe he sees all the moves John Chayka is doing and if he wants one final run to the Stanley Cup, he sees himself as maybe the perfect middle-six winger to add to this group.
Despite him being one of the oldest players in the NHL, Giroux would still be plenty impactful to this team. While other wingers might be solid defensively, the 38-year-old from Hearst, Ont. would be all that, score 50 or so points, and win a whole lot of faceoffs.
That sounds like a pretty good addition to us.
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