Claude Giroux, at 38 years old, won't be an Edmonton Oiler, even though the Oilers came in hard for him, per Elliotte Friedman.
Friedman dropped that nugget on Monday's episode of 32 Thoughts, saying Edmonton pushed hard to get something done this summer.
Giroux carried a $2,000,000 cap hit for the Ottawa Senators this season.
He still delivered 49 points across 82 games, more than respectable for a forward on the wrong side of 35.
That production came with a plus-20 rating, one of the better marks anywhere in that Ottawa lineup.
Only 1 of his 14 goals came on the power play, but he chipped in 12 power play assists helping drive that unit.
Over his last 10 games, Giroux picked up 5 points, including 2 goals, still producing with the clock ticking on his career.
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Ottawa finished the season 44-27-11 for 99 points, good for ninth overall in the league, before Carolina swept them out in four straight games.
The Senators also lost both meetings with Edmonton this year, falling 3-2 in overtime in October and 5-4 in overtime back in March.
Edmonton hired Mike Babcock as head coach on June 23, and pushes like this one show exactly what he's after on his bench.
The Oilers finished 41-30-11 for 93 points and ranked 14th overall this season, a modest return for a roster with that much firepower.
Going hard after a 38-year-old rental is a strange way to address that gap. Is it really the fix a team with Edmonton's ceiling needs?
Stan Bowman has run Edmonton's front office since July of 2024, and this kind of aggressive summer swing fits exactly how he's operated there.
Travis Green has coached the Senators since May of 2024, and how he handles pending free agents like Giroux will shape next season in Ottawa.
Where Giroux actually lands this summer is still unsettled, and neither side has said a word about it publicly just yet.
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Should the Oilers have gone all in on a 38-year-old rental like Claude Giroux?
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