The Florida Panthers are trading for Claude Giroux, multiple outlets reported Saturday.
The Panthers have spent much of the last few months linked to the All-Star forward as they try to load up to make a run at the Stanley Cup and they were able to come to an agreement with the Philadelphia Flyers a few days ahead of the Monday trade deadline.
In exchange for the 34-year-old Canadian, Florida is sending right wing Owen Tippett and prospect Connor Bunnaman to the Flyers, as well as a second-round pick in the 2023 NHL entry draft and a first-round pick in 2024, The Sports Network reported. Tippet is the centerpiece of the trade: He played on the Panthers’ second line during the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs, but has spent much of this season in the American Hockey League. AHL Charlotte has held him out since Thursday as Florida has tried to figure out a trade.
In the last year, the Panthers have traded away first-round picks in 2022, 2023 and 2024 to land forward Sam Reinhart, defenseman Ben Chiarot and Giroux, respectively. It’s an all-in move for Florida as it tries to win the first Cup in franchise history and win the club’s first postseason series since 1995.
Giroux, who has played his entire career with the Flyers and in seven All-Star Games, played his 1,000th game for Philadelphia on Thursday and the Flyers shut him down afterward, waiting to find a trade partner. Florida has been seeking out a forward to play on the wing next to star center Aleksander Barkov on its top line and Giroux, who plays both center and left wing, could be the answer.
Giroux, who was the Most Valuable Player of the 2022 NHL All-Star Game last month, has 18 goals and 24 assists in 57 games for last-place Philadelphia this season.
The Panthers had already been active ahead of the deadline before dealing for Giroux. On Wednesday, they traded away winger Frank Vatrano to the New York Rangers to clear cap space with bigger moves in mind. Later in the day, they sent a first-round pick to the Montreal Canadiens to add Chiarot and now they’ve made their biggest move yet, adding one of the league’s best forward to an already-loaded roster.
With Giroux in the fold, Florida has an embarrassment of riches at forward, with six different 20-goal scorers — Barkov, All-Star left wing Jonathan Huberdeau and fellow forwards Sam Bennett, Sam Reinhart, Anthony Duclair and Carter Verhaeghe — and now one more All-Star. The league’s highest-scoring offense should be getting even better.
The right wing spot on the Panthers’ top line has been one of their few relative weaknesses all year, a revolving door next to Barkov and Verhaeghe with interim coach Andrew Brunette trusting those two forwards can carry whomever they play alongside. If Giroux joins them on the first line, they won’t need to anymore.
