Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
It was inevitable.
Ever since the Philadelphia Flyers star center Claude Giroux demanded the first shift in game six of the playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins last season, fans knew he would be the next captain.
That time has finally come.
On Tuesday evening, Giroux was officially named the 19th captain in the history of the Flyers franchise. The decision couldn’t be more accurate. Giroux is a natural born leader and has the proper attitude and work ethic. He will wear the “C” in place of former captain Chris Pronger. The 25-year old Giroux is honored to be among the greats but won’t let it change his game.
“Obviously, this is a huge honor,” Giroux said. “There have been a lot of great captains here in the past. Along with this comes a lot of responsibility which I am prepared for. Being named captain is not really going to change the way I play on the ice and act off the ice. But I am very excited about this opportunity.”
It was initially speculated that Giroux would be named captain during Thursday night’s practice to the public at the Wells Fargo Center, but that certainly was not the case. General manager Paul Holmgren indicated that Kimmo Timonen will be associate captain, while Danny Briere and Scott Hartnell will serve as assistant captains.
Giroux, who is coming off a breakout 93-point season, is without a doubt ready to serve this role. The letter on his chest is really just for design, however, as he has been the undisputed captain of this team for months now.
The Flyers will drop the puck against the Penguins to start the season on Saturday. Giroux and Sidney Crosby will continue their growing rivalry. This time, however, it’ll officially be captain against captain.
