Owen Tippett
“We signed Claude eight years ago to a lengthy, superstar type of contract, which he earned, and as part of that contract he had a no move clause and he earned that right to decide, to have a big say in where he would go, I think is the best way to put it,” Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher said. “I did have a very limited market in terms of the teams I could speak with.”
The only Flyer who needed to find the back of the net was Kevin Hayes. Hayes scored twice in the second period, including a power-play goal with 5:05 remaining. That proved to be the game-winner through the third period, as the Flyers claimed a 2-1 win over the Islanders.
In the end, Giroux ultimately held the keys to his destination. Florida was where he wanted to be. That left the Flyers limited in what they could get in return. If nothing else, the return in the Giroux deal is more of a reality of what the state of the Flyers is and remains after this trade, and the result of years of shortcomings by the organization.
The Flyers have traded Giroux, forwards Connor Bunnaman and German Rubtsov, and a 2024 fifth-round pick to the Florida Panthers for forward Owen Tippett, a 2024 first-round pick and a 2023 third-round pick. The Flyers are also retaining half of Giroux’s salary.
The Flyers ended their four-game homestand to start the season with a 2-1-1 record after Saturday’s 4-2 loss to the Panthers, showing signs of promise with their level of compete, but also falling short in a couple of games that were certainly there for the taking.
Jonathan Huberdeau’s second goal of the game came on a rebound following a shorthanded breakaway, allowing the Florida Panthers to pick up a 4-2 win on Saturday night at Wells Fargo Center.
