Should the Capitals trade for Claude Giroux?
The Philadelphia Flyers are likely to trade Claude Giroux and according to Brandon J. Sommermann of Brotherly Bully (and also used to be part of FanSided on their Flyers site Broad Street Buzz), he reported that the Washington Capitals have kept an eye on the situation.
Sommermann notes that there’s some history with Giroux and Capitals Coach Peter Laviolette who used to coach the Flyers. The Caps, who need goalie help and defensive depth (?), have been scouting the Flyers a lot over the past two weeks. The Flyers have defense and a goalie on the trade block.
Hearing #ALLCAPS have quietly kept an eye on Claude Giroux situation. There is history there with Giroux & HC Peter Laviolette. WSH, who need goalie help & defense depth, have been scouting PHI alot over past two weeks. PHI have defense & a goalie on trade block. #BringItToBroad
— Brandon J. Sommermann (@B_Sommermann) March 6, 2022
Giroux has been a longtime captain of the Flyers. But they’ve struggled this season as they’re at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division. It’s their second straight down season after having a decent 2020.
The Caps are expected to be buyers for the March 21 trade deadline but at what cost? What would signing a veteran in Giroux do for a team that’s already old in age? I can’t really answer those questions.
Giroux never won a Stanley Cup with the Flyers and would love to get moved to a contender. There is a chance that this could actually work out if he was to get traded to the Capitals. There’s also likely a chance this could go south. We will never know until it actually happens.
Very rarely do teams in the same division trade with each other but the Caps and Flyers do have some history. A couple years ago they shipped Matt Niskanen for Radko Gudas. The following season they traded at the deadline for depth forward Michael Raffl.
The Caps need forward help but I think they’re good on defense. I think they should go the route of young forward and veteran net minder. But goalie is a different subject for a different article. Giroux is 34 years old.
I don’t know who they would be eyeing on goaltending for the Flyers. They have 32 year old Martin Jones but their other two goalies are much younger including 23 year old Carter Hart who’s younger than Vitek Vanecek and Ilya Samsonov.
Hot. Joe Snively injury update. light
We are 15 days away from the trade deadline. Buckle up for the rumors Caps fans.