Last season was not the one that captain Claude Giroux or the Philadelphia Flyers hoped to happen.
Coming within one win of the Eastern Conference finals in 2020, the Flyers ended last season defeated. Something that the Flyers didn’t think would happen at the beginning of the season.
“That’s not the team we want to be,” Giroux said of last year’s team. “That’s not the team we are.”
After last season, GM Chuck Fletcher decided change was needed. Change that focused on bringing in new an energy to the locker room. An energy that revolved around adding veteran players with previous leadership experience.
“You can’t have too many leaders on team,” Giroux said about his new teammates. “We have to get everyone on the same page. There’s only one message out there.”
That message isn’t just all about winning the Stanley Cup. It first starts with making the playoffs.
Since 2012, the Flyers have not been to the playoffs in back to back seasons. After making the playoffs in 2020, the Flyers failed to follow it up last season. Failing to make the playoffs for the 5th time in the last 9-seasons.
“We’re an older team; a lot of experience,” Giroux said about the Flyers this season. “Some guys feel like they have something to prove. As a team, we definitely have something to prove.”
That feeling of something to prove has created a buzz around the Flyers. A buzz that is surrounded by excitement.
“Think this camp is maybe a little different than camps we’ve had before. Guys are excited,” Giroux said about day 1 of training camp.
This isn’t just a big season for the Flyers as a whole. But, also Claude Giroux himself.
Entering the final year of his contract, Giroux & the Flyers decided to push new contracts talks til the offseason.
“I’ve had some good conversations with Chuck (Fletcher). But, it’s not something that we’re going to address right now,” Giroux said about his contract talks.
PHOTO CREDIT : Zack Hill – Flyers PR Guru
Mark Yuen
February 25, 2022 at 10:31 AM
This feeling didn’t age very well……