Senators' Claude Giroux remains uncertain on his future with Ottawa as pending UFA

Claude Giroux just completed the 17th season of his NHL career.

The veteran forward has been one of the most productive players in the league over the last decade-plus and still has a love for the game all of these years later.

However, he now faces an uncertain future. Giroux is a pending UFA, having just played out the final season of the three-year, $19,500,000 contract he signed to join his hometown Ottawa Senators during free agency in 2022.

Giroux spoke during his end-of-season media availability and was asked about his future with the team. Claire Hanna shared his response on X (formerly Twitter).

"It’s still early. I haven’t given it any thoughts. I haven’t really talked to Steve yet. I love the players, the fans, the city, this year is the most fun I’ve had in a few years. Coming to the rink was a lot of fun. Pretty tight locker room. A lot of good things," Giroux said.

Claude Giroux has enjoyed three productive seasons in Ottawa after spending the first 13 and a half seasons of his career as a Philadelphia Flyer, along with a brief stint in Florida.

Claude Giroux's numbers slipped in 2024-25

Statistically speaking, Claude Giroux didn't have his best season in 2024-25.

The 37-year-old still produced 50 points (15 goals, 35 assists) in 81 games, though that was a drop-off from previous campaigns. He registered 64 points (21 goals, 43 assists) in 2023-24 and had 79 points (35 goals, 44 assists) in 2022-23.

Despite seeing his production take a dip in two consecutive years, Giroux believes he has a lot more to give at the NHL level. Claire Hanna shared more of his comments on X.

"I don’t know how many left. I think I have a lot left in the tank. I’m loving hockey right now, I want to play and I feel like I could be an impact player. So it’s going to be a big summer for me….we have a little taste of it, how it feels, how fun it is. We have a little taste, we want to get back into it," Giroux said.

Claude Giroux and the Senators have just under two months to come to an agreement on a new contract before the veteran can test the open market as a UFA on July 1.

It will be a situation worth monitoring in the coming months as general manager Steve Staois looks to improve his roster heading into 2025-26.