Flyers trade captain Claude Giroux to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Owen Tippett, a 2024 first-round pick and a 2023 third-round pick

After spending the first 15 years of his NHL career with the Flyers and etching his name among the franchise’s all-time greats, captain Claude Giroux’s chapter in Philadelphia came to a close on Saturday.

Prior to the 3 p.m. trade deadline on Monday, the Flyers shipped Giroux, 34, forwards Connor Bunnaman and German Rubtsov, and a 2024 fifth-round pick to the Florida Panthers in exchange for forward Owen Tippett, a first-round pick in 2024, and a third-round pick in 2023, a source confirmed to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The Flyers are retaining 50% of Giroux’s salary-cap hit. Giroux is in the final year of an eight-year, $66.2 million contract ($8.275 million average annual value), which made him a prime rental candidate for a Stanley Cup contender.

Giroux’s contract contained a full no-move clause, indicating that Giroux approved the trade and the destination. A source confirmed that Florida was the only team that Giroux would waive his no-move clause for. Now, the Hearst, Ontario native will look to win a Stanley Cup as a member of the Panthers.

“Any day that you trade your captain is a tough day, and with how much Claude has meant to this organization and how he has represented himself for 15 years, makes it all that more difficult to say goodbye,” general manager Chuck Fletcher said via a press release. “Claude is one of the best players to ever wear a Flyer uniform.”

After he played his 1,000th game against the Nashville Predators on Thursday night, Giroux confirmed he would be on the move when discussing past teammates who have left for other clubs.

“I know it’s tough when you leave a team, but I actually didn’t realize how tough it is and I wish I knew back then,” Giroux said on Thursday. “It’s not something that is really fun.”

Although Giroux has previously stated that he’d like to be a Flyer for life, the realities of the Flyers’ poor 2021-22 season, his age, and his desire to win a Cup created the perfect storm for a trade. The 42-14-6 Panthers sit atop the Atlantic Division and boast talented players including Jonathan Huberdeau, Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, and Aaron Ekblad.

The Panthers are on the hunt for their first Stanley Cup, having made the final once in 1996.

Tippett, 23, was the 10th overall pick in the 2017 draft. Over the last three seasons, Tippett has split time between the NHL and AHL. In 42 games played with the Panthers this season, Tippett has six goals and eight assists. Tippett suited up in 12 games with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers this year and registered 12 goals and six assists.

“We’re very excited to have Owen join our team,” Fletcher said. “He is a young forward who already has NHL experience and will bring power, speed and skill to our group. He is someone we expect to fit into our lineup immediately.”

Bunnaman, 23, was selected by the Flyers in the fourth round, 109th overall, of the 2016 draft. Like Tippett, Bunnaman has split time between the NHL and AHL over the course of three seasons. In 2021-22, Bunnaman played 15 games with the Flyers primarily as a fourth-line center and did not register a point.

Rubtsov, 23, has spent the majority of his four-year pro career in the AHL. He was drafted by the Flyers in the first round, 22nd overall in the 2016 draft. This season, he played 37 games with the Phantoms and registered two goals and four assists.

On March 13, Giroux scored his 900th career point with a second-period goal against the Montreal Canadiens. That goal marked his 291st in his career, pulling him ahead of Eric Lindros for eighth in Flyers history.

When Giroux played his 1,000th game, he became the second player to reach the milestone solely as a member of the Flyers. Bobby Clarke, who spent all 15 years of his NHL career with the Flyers, played 1,144.

On Dec. 10 against the Vegas Golden Knights, Giroux set a franchise record for power-play points (334). Later that month, he passed Bill Barber for second all-time in franchise history in points (884) on Dec. 29 against the Seattle Kraken.

Named the 19th Flyers’ captain on Jan. 13, 2013, Giroux was the longest-tenured captain in franchise history. During the 2020-21 season, Giroux played his 611th game as Flyers team captain to pass Clarke’s record set in 1984.

Prior to the trade, Giroux ranked second on the team with 42 points (18 goals, 24 assists), just four points behind winger Cam Atkinson. Giroux ranked second among forwards in average time on ice this season (19:14 per game).

Giroux was the Flyers’ representative at the 2022 All Star Game, which marked his seventh appearance at the event. He captained the Metropolitan Division champions and won the MVP.

Former Flyers general manager Clarke drafted Giroux 22nd overall in the 2006 NHL draft. Giroux made his NHL debut at 20 years old against the Ottawa Senators on Feb. 19, 2008, and became a regular in the Flyers’ lineup by late December of the 2008-09 season.

In 2017-18 at 30 years old, Giroux put together the best statistical season of his career, scoring 34 goals and 68 assists for 102 points. He finished second in the league in scoring behind Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (108 points).

The closest Giroux came to winning a Stanley Cup was in 2010 when the Flyers fell to the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 6 of the final. While Giroux has yet to win hockey’s greatest prize, he’s represented Canada on the international stage multiple times, winning gold at the 2015 World Championships, silver at the 2017 World Championships, gold at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, and gold at the 2008 World Junior Championships.