According to TSN collaborator Bruce Garrioch [https://ottawacitizen.com/ottawa-senators/talks-continue-between-senators-giroux], right winger Claude Giroux could be interested in signing with the Montreal Canadiens [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens]when he hits free agency on July 1. It’s not that the Tricolore would be his first choice, though. The 37-year-old would like to sign a contract extension with the Ottawa Senators [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/ottawa-senators], but some believe the two sides are at a stalemate. Talks are continuing to see if the gap can be bridged, and the Sens have made a one-year offer for an over-35 contract. Garrioch also reports that league executives have estimated Giroux could hope for a $3 million base salary with achievable bonus targets that could see him earn between $4.5 million and $5 million. Canadiens: Laine Celebrated The Stanley Cup Win With Barkov [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/canadiens-laine-celebrated-the-stanley-cup-win-with-barkov] Comparing Canadiens' Lane Hutson Rookie Season to Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes' From An Analytics Standpoint [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/comparing-canadiens-lane-hutson-rookie-season-to-cale-makar-and-quinn-hughes-from-an-analytics-standpoint] Canadiens: A Trip Down Draft Memory Lane Part 2 [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/canadiens-a-trip-down-draft-memory-lane-part-2] Giroux’s family is well settled in Ottawa, and that’s a big part of the reason why he would like to stay put, and probably why he would be interested in signing with Montreal if a deal can’t be reached, given geographical proximity. ‘ Throughout his 18-season career, the 5-foot-11, 188-pound forward has played 1,263 games and accumulated 1,116 points. Since joining the Senators, his production has steadily declined, dropping from 79 points to 64 and then 50 this past season. The veteran has spent most of the season playing in Ottawa’s top-six alongside the likes of Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle. Fellow veteran David Perron still has one year to go on his contract with the Ontario outfit, meaning there’s already an experienced player on the roster. While there’s no denying that Giroux has been a force in the NHL and is still a talented player, I struggle to see why the Canadiens would feel the need to make him an offer. Montreal is in dire need of a top-six center and a right-shot defenseman. Of course, the Habs have lost their most experienced player with David Savard’s retirement, but Brendan Gallagher is already 33 years old, and Mike Matheson is 31; they’re both fairly experienced. Giroux has been to one Stanley Cup Final, just like Gallagher. I expect that the only way Kent Hughes could make him an offer is if he fails to find what he needs on the trade market or in free agency. This is somewhat similar to when Danny Briere said he would like to sign with the Canadiens towards the end of his career; however, this didn’t exactly go well. He played 69 games in Montreal, putting up 25 points, and found himself playing on the fourth line at times. Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwo-DfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen], never to miss a story. Follow Karine on X @KarineHains [https://x.com/KarineHains] Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/karinehains.bsky.social] and Threads @karinehains [https://www.threads.net/@karinehains]. Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/] for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens. Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens] on The Hockey News.
