Claude Giroux Delaying Free Agency Decision For One Major Reason

On Friday, a trusted hockey insider reported that unrestricted free agent veteran Claude Giroux was headed back to his longtime original team, the Philadelphia Flyers. So why hasn't it happened yet? It appears there is one major reason. 

Reports are that several other teams were also in on Giroux, including his incumbent team, the Ottawa Senators, in addition to the Edmonton Oilers and the Toronto Maple Leafs. In fact, the Leafs, according to insider Elliotte Friedman, made the biggest offer for the veteran two-way forward. 

Friedman and others still believe that the Flyers are his first choice, but Giroux has delayed his free agency decision for one major reason, according to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen.

Bruce Garrioch: The belief is Claude Giroux wants to take some time to make his decision because this will likely be his final season in the NHL - Ottawa Citizen (7/4)

— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) July 5, 2026

The 38-year-old is staring at what is likely to be his final NHL season, so he wants to make sure he makes the right move. 

"Another team that was in this," Friedman said, "his impression was ... Giroux is seeing if anybody can really change his mind. They think he wants to go to Philadelphia, but he's waiting to see if anybody can really change his mind."

One team that is definitely out, however, is the Oilers, according to The Friedge.

"They were in on him, but they're not going to get him."

It sounds like, at this point, the only teams that could be trying to "change his mind" from going to Philly, are the Sens and the Leafs.

Giroux spent his first 15 seasons in the league with the Flyers, after they made him a first-round pick (22nd overall) in 2006. He played exactly 1,000 games with the team and racked up exactly 900 points. He was their captain for a decade.