Claude Giroux is Back: Breaking Down His New Contract

After a bit of an uneasy back and forth, the Ottawa Senators and Claude Giroux have agreed on a one year contract! There were starting to be questions as to whether Giroux would end up on the open market come July 1st, but the one year deal allows Sens fans to breathe easy in knowing that the Sens veteran leader is back for another year. Let’s dive into the details on Giroux’s new contract.

READ MORE: Getting to Know Newest Senator Jordan Spence

Contract By the Numbers

Giroux’s new contract comes with a base salary of $2 million. There is also potentially $2.75 million in bonuses. Here’s how they work:

• $250,000 for playing 20, 30 and 60 games
• $250,000 for the Sens making the playoffs plus Giroux playing 50 games
• $500,000 for each round the Sens win in the playoffs, except for winning round two which is worth $250,000 (to get these playoff bonuses, Giroux has to play 50% of the Sens playoff games)

Add it all up and this contract could be worth up to $4.75 million. Of course, if that happens, the Sens are Stanley Cup Champions.

Claude Giroux By the Numbers

Here are Giroux’s stats during his time with he Senators:

• 2022-23: 82 games, 35 goals, 79 points
• 2023-24: 82 games, 21 goals, 64 points
• 2024-25: 81 games, 15 goals, 50 points

In 6 playoff games last year, Giroux scored one goal and 5 points. It’s evident with these numbers that his offensive game has fallen off. He lacks speed and doesn’t have the goal scoring ability that he did a couple years ago. Nonetheless, he still offers plenty of value. Last season, his 50 points ranked fifth on the Senators. He was second to only Jake Sanderson in shorthanded ice-time with over 190 minutes. His 61.5 face-off percentage was the best in the entire NHL among regular centres. He still has great vision as well. Even if his minutes are limited this season, Giroux brings enough to the table that he’ll find a way to make a positive difference.

A Look Ahead

Speaking of limiting Giroux’s minutes, I wrote an article part way through last season about how the Senators were overplaying him. At that point, in mid December, he was averaging 19:15 per game. Only Stützle was averaging more among Sens forwards. To Travis Green’s credit, he played Giroux 17:41 per game from that point on, ranking him seventh among Sens forwards.

That average ice-time should decrease even further at this point. Giroux is 37, and the Senators have since added Zetterlund to the mix, with the likes of Greig and Pinto both progressing as last year went along. One great quality that Giroux possesses is staying healthy. He’s missed just one game as a Senator. He’s nearing the end of his career now, though, so this season needs to be looked at like a marathon, not a sprint. The Sens want Giroux in top form come playoff time. Easing his minutes to somewhere in the 14-17 minutes per game makes sense.

Final Thoughts

With Claude Giroux back, Steve Staios is closing in on a full roster. As of now, the Senators have about  $8 million in cap space. Their defense appears set. The obvious move at the goalie spot is to sign Leevi Merilainen to be the backup. That contract shouldn’t be all that costly. Up front, the Senators have 10 forwards signed to one way contracts. These next few days will be interesting to see whether the Sens try to bring back the likes of Gaudette and Cousins, change it up with other cheap depth forwards, or aim for something bigger.