The Montreal Canadiens have yet to make any major UFA signings this off-season. While this is the case, they were reportedly one of the teams interested in one of this year's top UFA forwards.

According to Bruce Garrioch, the Canadiens "kicked tires" on forward Claude Giroux before he re-signed with the Ottawa Senators this past week. 

Hearing that the Canadiens expressed interest in Giroux is not necessarily surprising. They could use a boost at the center position, and Giroux can still make an impact down the middle. His 63.1 faceoff winning percentage from this past season shows that.

Had the Canadiens landed Giroux, he would have had the potential to be a very good addition to their top nine. This is because he not only still produces solid offense this late into his career but also would have offered them a valuable veteran forward to help mentor their younger players. 

However, Giroux will instead be playing a fifth season with the Senators. In 82 games last season with the Sens, the veteran forward posted 14 goals, 35 assists, 49 points, and a plus-20 rating. This was after he had 15 goals and 50 points during the 2024-25 season with Ottawa.