Senators' Claude Giroux Loves Hearing from the Haters

Claude Giroux does whatever he needs to do to get himself motivated, even if it means hearing from the haters. The Ottawa Senator is excited to get to work with his hometown team as the veteran forward feels like he's being written off by some people.

The 34-year-old thinks he has lots left in the tank and isn't going to let his doubters get the best of him. Giroux spoke with Ian Mendes of The Athletic and had this to say regarding the noise:

Every summer, I find ways to motivate myself. This year, it's pretty easy to motivate myself coming to play in Ottawa. A lot of people say I'm a little too old and I'm on the way down, but you know what? I kind of like hearing that stuff. It keeps me on my toes. I didn't have a great year. I just came out of hip surgery, and a lot of articles came out (saying) that I'm getting old and I'm slowing down. At that time, I was a little angry. But that's all I needed. A little more motivation. The focus is a little different than when I was 17 and I was trying to gain weight and get stronger. Now I'm just trying to keep my speed. You're as old as you feel. And I feel strongly about that. I feel great. I feel the same way I used to when I was 24 or 25.

Giroux found himself in an interesting situation last season, leaving the Philadelphia Flyers and chasing a cup with the Florida Panthers. He performed well for his new team, and finished the season with 65 points in 75 total games. Giroux signed a three-year deal for $19.5 million in Ottawa this summer and looks to kickstart new beginnings with his third franchise. One doubter at a time...