It’s hard to believe it’s now been 20 years since Claude Giroux was drafted into the NHL. Selected 22nd overall in 2006, Giroux’s name famously slipped the mind of Philadelphia Flyers GM Bobby Clarke when he walked up to the podium microphone that day.

Two decades later, Giroux has carved out a career that's been completely unforgettable.

A spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame probably awaits the man they call 'G,' because at 1,165 points in 1,345 NHL games, his numbers are just getting too good to ignore. But that's a question for another day.

The immediate question is this: How much longer does Giroux, one of the most respected men in hockey, actually want to play?

At 38, and coming off a one-year, bonus-laden deal signed last summer, Giroux is probably feeling a strong case of deja vu. He's a veteran UFA coming off another disappointing first-round defeat and ready to open offseason talks with the Sens again.

From a performance standpoint, GM Steve Staios might as well just print off a duplicate of Giroux's contract from last summer, because he was almost exactly the same player.

Staios signed Giroux to a one-year, $2 million extension for the 2025–26 season, which included an additional $2.75 million in performance bonuses.

As a sidebar, Giroux scooped up all the individual bonuses, but none of the $1.75 million attached to winning playoff rounds.

He did that while doing what he always does: staying healthy, leading, and producing. Giroux, who's missed only one game in four years with Ottawa, put up 49 points this season, just one less than the season before.

He also delivered a serious plus/minus turnaround, for those of you who are still serious about that stat, going from a -8 in 2025 to a +20 this season, second-best on the team.

But before contract talks begin, Giroux has to decide for sure if he wants to keep rolling. Although, based on his recent, season-ending media availability, it's pretty clear he does.

"Yeah, I think everybody does, but it's too early to even answer that question for me," Giroux said. "I need to calm down a little bit. I'm still a little fired up about (losing) the series, and sometimes you need to take a step back and give yourself a chance just to kinda chill and then see what's next."

It wasn't a firm commitment by any stretch, but he left the door wide open.

If there's a knock on Giroux, as we watch the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs where the pace of play is off the charts, the 38-year-old isn't the fastest guy out there. But that's been true for all of his years in Ottawa, and he's managed to overcome that with his offensive production, hockey IQ, faceoff ability, defence, and leadership.

He's also built a reputation for being a beast in the gym, which has helped slow the physical punishment that time doles out to all of us. But the mental grind of the NHL is another animal altogether, and it might be some time before Giroux recharges enough on both fronts to be completely sure about his future.

"Yeah, you wake up in the morning and it's hard to wrap your head around that the season's over, and it's frustrating for sure. Definitely, it takes a long time."

In the short term, Giroux will do what he always does this time of year: spend time with his young family here in Ottawa, decompress, and book a few tee times.

But when the dust eventually settles, he's still a man who wants a Cup before he goes, and there’s still a strong sense of unfinished business in Ottawa.

"The guys in that locker room, I love spending time with those guys. They make it fun coming to the rink, and they definitely keep me young, and being around them is... I feel very lucky."

That connection can’t be overlooked. If Brady Tkachuk signs an extension here next summer, that connection with the room will be the biggest reason why. Giroux is still a key part of the leadership here, helping to guide a core that took some big steps forward as one of the best teams in the NHL from January to April.

"Yeah, I think this year we dug ourselves in a little hole early in the season. And in the last two months, we were playing playoff hockey and played some really good hockey to get into the playoffs, and it's something that we should be proud of. But sitting here right now, it's not what we had planned."

With four years now under his belt in Ottawa, Giroux was part of some Senators teams that, to put it mildly, didn't stick to their identity. So he was pleased to see this one find its swagger, sticking to the process even when results didn't go their way for a long time.

"(I liked) the way we stuck to how we wanna play, our identity. Guys didn't start doing their own things, and we just believed that the way we play, we're gonna be successful. And usually that doesn't happen."

So where does that leave things for the wily veteran?

All signs point to another one-year deal that keeps Giroux wearing the centurion crest for at least one more run. In what appears to be an Ottawa-or-nothing situation. The fit is there, his role is clear, and the motivation is certainly still there as well. As any teammate will tell you, Giroux hates losing... at anything.

The final decision will come after Giroux gets the time he needs to step back and decompress. But based on his words, his play, and his connection to the boys in that locker room, it’s hard to imagine this NHL story ending just yet.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

This article was first published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Check out more great Sens features from The Hockey News at the links below:  

Another NHL Chance For Former Senators GM Pierre Dorion?
The Year The Senators Entered The Playoffs As The Stanley Cup Favourite
Tkachuk's Future In Ottawa Hinges On Senators Taking A Big Step Next Season
Travis Green Misses Out On Jack Adams Award Consideration
Jake Sanderson One Of Three Finalists For Lady Byng

Thanks to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Philadelphia Flyers are positioned nicely to add another extremely talented young player to their cupboard in the near future.

On Tuesday night, the Maple Leafs, perhaps unsurprisingly, won the NHL draft lottery outright, securing themselves the No. 1 overall pick and the rights to draft Gavin McKenna after a disastrous 2025-26 season.

Toronto, we can expect, will keep the first overall pick and select McKenna or another top prospect, which also means the Maple Leafs will be giving away their first-round picks in 2027 and 2028.

The Maple Leafs originally traded a conditional 2026 first-round pick to the Boston Bruins for Brandon Carlo, with the conditions being top-five protection. Because the Maple Leafs won the first pick, that 2026 first-round pick slides to 2027.

But the Flyers received a conditional 2027 first-round pick from the Maple Leafs in the Scott Laughton trade, which is top-10 protected. So, if the 2027 first-round pick is another top-10 pick, the Maple Leafs will have to choose whether it goes to the Flyers or Bruins.

Maple Leafs Coach Heaps Big Praise Upon Rising Flyers ProspectToronto Maple Leafs head coach and former Philadelphia Flyers bench boss Craig Berube likes what he's seen from Nikita Grebenkin, one of his old players. And he knows there's room for plenty more as Grebenkin embarks on the next chapter of his NHL career with the Flyers.

The Maple Leafs and the Bruins are obviously rivals and play in the same division, and the Flyers will get the pick anyway if it is outside of the top 10.

To make a long story short, the only way the Flyers don't get the Maple Leafs' 2027 first-round pick is if they decide to give a top-10 pick to their division rival. We can assume that probably isn't going to happen.

As things stand, with all that said, the Flyers have their first-round pick this year, their own first and Toronto's first next year, as well as both second-round picks and three total third-round picks.

That's a lot of ammo to go out and trade for a good player.

We all know the Flyers need a No. 1 center and another really good defenseman, and the odds suggest they will find neither of those things in the 2026 draft since they are still alive in the playoffs.

Flyers Can Thank Maple Leafs for Exciting New Fan-Favorite ProspectThanks to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Philadelphia Flyers have an exciting new prospect everyone is hoping makes the NHL roster out of training camp this fall.

But, with Toronto's pick, they could very well do that in 2027, should the Flyers decide not to trade that pick outright.

Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews may or may not be out there on the NHL trade market, and players like Adam Fantilli, Shane Wright, Jason Robertson, Ivan Demidov, Kent Johnson, Alex Nikishin, Simon Edvinsson, Olen Zellweger, and Pavel Mintyukov are all RFAs this offseason or the next.

The Flyers will have a host of intriguing options available to them at multiple positions over the next two summers if they choose not to draft a player and accelerate the Stanley Cup timeline a bit.

And that all comes from trading a bottom-six forward like Scott Laughton at the NHL trade deadline.

Michael Augello and Ryan O’Hara are live on the thread to bring you every detail from tonight’s opening game of the Second Round Stanley Cup Playoff series between the Montreal Canadiens and the Buffalo Sabres.

The Fans Are Pumped

Until this season, the Sabres had not reached the playoffs since 2010–11, when Ryan Miller was still their starting goaltender—the year after Team USA fell to Sidney Crosby and Team Canada in overtime of the Olympic gold medal game at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

With that said, there’s every reason for Sabres fans to be excited — and, in this case, to have the celebratory balloons ready. But by no means will this be an easy series. The Canadiens proved in their opening-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning that they can win even while generating limited offense, though they will likely need to produce more shots on goal if they hope to reach the Eastern Conference Final.

Opening Period

That may have been one of the quickest penalties to start a playoff game in recent memory. Lane Hutson was called for tripping Zach Benson just 10 seconds into the game. It marked the ninth minor penalty Benson has drawn this postseason.

We’ve returned to 5-on-5 action after Buffalo failed to convert on the power play, though the Sabres generated several quality opportunities. There was also a brief stoppage after Josh Doan fired a wrister from the doorstep that knocked Montreal goaltender Jakob Dobes’ mask clean off.

Goal

Hutson endured an unfortunate start for the Canadiens. First came the penalty, then he rang a shot off the crossbar after his wrister deflected off Alex Lyon’s pad. Things got worse when he tripped and fell at center ice, leading to an odd-man rush for the Sabres. Josh Doan capitalized on the chance to give Buffalo an early lead.

LANE HUTSON LOSES THE PUCK AND THE SABRES MAKE HIM PAY IT'S 1-0 BUFFALO 😵‍💫🚨 pic.twitter.com/MSzGQUtYo6

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) May 6, 2026

Buffalo is doing a fantastic job, especially Logan Stanley, at clogging up lanes in front of the net. Montreal will have to get creative if they want to get some quality shots on net. 

Injury?

The aforementioned Stanley went down the tunnel after blocking a shot earlier in the period and the Canadiens are struggling to remain disciplined as their captain, Nick Suzuki, has gone to the box for tripping Bowen Byram. 

Power Play Goal Sabres 2 Canadiens 0

Ryan McLeod scored his first goal of the playoffs at 13:26, with Doan once again showing his playmaking ability by finding him in the slot to make it a 2–0 game. Montreal is getting overwhelmed by the relentless pressure.

Penalty Kill

Buffalo will have to kill off a penalty in the final 2:02 of the frame as Rasmus Dahlin was called for interference after sending Alex Newhook into the crossbar. Montreal will get an opportunity on the power play, but their star forward, Cole Caufield took a big hit from Jordan Greenway and was slow to get up.

But Montreal responded with a power play goal and it was Suzuki, their captain making up for his earlier penalty to put the Canadiens on the board.

NICK SUZUKI BURIES IT BACK DOOR AND THE HABS CUT THE DEFICIT IN HALF 👀🚨 pic.twitter.com/M86DQdjc0X

— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) May 6, 2026

The Sabres took a 2–1 lead into the dressing room at the end of the first period.

Takeaways

Montreal outshot Buffalo 10–6 in the opening frame, but the Sabres did a better job controlling the puck and generated the more dangerous scoring chances. The Canadiens struggled to stay out of the penalty box, and Hutson’s costly mistake at center ice led directly to Buffalo’s 2-on-1 opportunity.

The team that makes the fewest mistakes will likely win this game.

Second Period

We’re underway in Period 2.

Jordan Greenway made it a 3–1 game with his first goal of the postseason, restoring Buffalo’s two-goal advantage. The tally came moments after the Canadiens likely should have been penalized for too many men on the ice, but no call was made. It didn’t matter, as Greenway snapped a wrister through traffic that caught the edge of Dobes’ glove.

Following the goal, Dobes had now allowed three goals on nine shots. Greenway added the insurance marker despite managing just one goal in 40 regular-season games.

Buffalo earned its third power play of the game just past the seven-minute mark after Kaiden Guhle was called for cross-checking Tyson Kozak.

Another Power-Play Strike

This Buffalo team is dangerous.

A second power-play goal pushed the Sabres’ lead to three. Josh Doan provided a beautiful screen in front, and Bo Byram — who scored three goals in Buffalo’s first-round series win over the Boston Bruins — ripped a scintillating shot through traffic to make it 4–1.

At this point, Buffalo was making Montreal pay for every mistake.

Montreal Fights Back

The Canadiens weren’t done yet. With 3:29 remaining in the second period, Kirby Dach batted in his own rebound while falling to the ice, capping off a beautiful individual effort to pull Montreal within two.

The Sabres took a 4–2 lead into the third and likely final period.

Third Period

The Sabres grabbed the lead four-and-a-half minutes into the game and never gave it back. The final period was far more subdued compared to the opening two, but Buffalo wasn’t complaining. Four goals on 16 shots had them comfortably ahead with 2:50 remaining in regulation — but there was still some late drama.

Rasmus Dahlin headed down the tunnel and appeared to be limping, raising concern on the Buffalo bench after blocking a shot, but later returned. Montreal then pulled Dobes with 2:50 to play, and about 1:20 later, Lyon took a shot off the mask just before Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis called a timeout.

But time ultimately ran out, and the Sabres skated away with a 4–2 victory.

A major piece of the Buffalo Sabres’ depth could be nearing a return just in time for the second round.

According to NHL.com, veteran center Buffalo Sabres welcomed back Sam Carrick to practice Tuesday at KeyBank Center ahead of Game 1 against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night. It marked Carrick’s first full session with the club since suffering a left arm injury during a fight with Anders Lee of the New York Islanders on March 31.

The injury, which Carrick later described as a “freak accident,” originally came with a projected recovery window of four to eight weeks. Tuesday landed exactly five weeks from the date of the injury, and while he skated in a reserve role alongside extra forwards Tanner Pearson and Josh Dunne during line rushes, his return appears to be getting closer by the day.

“He’s out there right now getting some contact, and his fitness levels are good, everything. His return to play (plan), he’s worked really hard to be ready,” coach Lindy Ruff said. “So, it will be just a day-to-day decision on him now.”

For the time being, Buffalo appears set to roll with the same lineup that closed out its first-round series against the Boston Bruins in Game 6. Alex Lyon is expected to remain between the pipes, while Logan Stanley stays on the third defensive pairing.

Carrick, now 34 and skating for the fifth organization of his NHL career, credited Buffalo’s training and development staff for helping accelerate his recovery. He specifically pointed to assistant athletic trainer Michael Adesso and skating coach Mike Ansell for keeping him sharp while sidelined. Watching the postseason from afar, however, wasn’t exactly relaxing.

“Really figured [Boston] out after a few games, so credit to the guys,” said Carrick, who appeared in 10 playoff games with the 2024 Edmonton Oilers. “It was stressful for me to watch, but they did a great job.”

Why Carrick Matters To Buffalo’s Bottom-Six

Even in a small sample size after arriving from the New York Rangers at the trade deadline, Carrick quickly carved out a meaningful role in Buffalo’s bottom six. In his Sabres debut against the Nashville Predators on March 7, he delivered two critical late defensive-zone faceoff wins to preserve a 3-2 victory. One night later, he chipped in a key goal during Buffalo’s wild 8-7 comeback win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

His impact extended well beyond scoring. Carrick posted a team-best 57.3 percent faceoff rate over 13 games with Buffalo, including an impressive 60.3 percent mark in the defensive zone. His right-handed presence down the middle gives the Sabres another option after relying heavily on left-shot centers like Dunne and Tyson Kozak during Round 1. That detail could become even more important against a Montreal squad that controlled 55.6 percent of faceoffs in its opening-round series against Tampa Bay.

Offensively, Carrick found another level after the trade, scoring five times in 13 games with Buffalo after managing just four goals in 60 contests with New York. His hot stretch included a two-goal performance against the San Jose Sharks and a third-period game-winner days later versus the Los Angeles Kings.

“I think all the goals were probably a bonus,” Ruff said, “but a real good bonus.”

Carrick also seemed to click almost immediately alongside winger Beck Malenstyn. No matter who rotated onto the opposite wing, the pair consistently tilted the ice in Buffalo’s favor. According to Natural Stat Trick, the Sabres outshot opponents 62-33 and outscored them 8-2 during their 104 minutes together at five-on-five.

“Sometimes things just gel good, and we were able to connect for a few goals, which helps the confidence, for sure,” Carrick said of that instant chemistry. “I think we just play similar games. He can fly around, get in on the forecheck early, and I can play my game as a centerman where I’m trying to be in good spots for him.”

Buffalo believes Carrick’s return could provide a meaningful boost in a series where depth play and possession battles may prove decisive.

“It’s always tough, especially getting traded to a new team and then getting hurt,” Jason Zucker said. “But he was a huge impact for us when he got here, and we’re looking forward to having him back whenever he’s ready.”

The Sabres also had another young face back on the ice Tuesday, as 2024 first-round pick Konsta Helenius joined the club for practice duties. Helenius recorded four points in a nine-game NHL stint earlier this season before producing a strong sophomore campaign in Rochester, where he totaled 63 points. He has since joined Buffalo’s playoff group as a Black Ace and, notably, has been the only extra forward skating regularly with the team.

When asked about Helenius’ presence, Ruff cited the need for another center at practice with Noah Ostlund sidelined by a lower-body injury. Still, the situation could become more relevant if another injury opens the door for the highly regarded prospect later in the series.