‘It kind of feels like my first one’: In what could be his final All-Star Game as a Flyer, Claude Giroux enjoyed an extra special weekend with his family

LAS VEGAS — During a commercial break at the All-Star Skills Competition on Friday, as T-Mobile Arena staff prepared for the next event, Flyers captain Claude Giroux took a leisurely skate around the ice. He carried a miniature, Flyers jersey-wearing, carbon copy of himself in his arms.

Giroux’s 2 ½-year-old son Gavin tagged along for every adventure and marveled at each spectacle at the 2022 All-Star Game in Las Vegas. Excitement emanated from the most simple moments: When Gavin saw a giant puck with Giroux’s face on it outside the arena prior to the start of the weekend’s events, Giroux watched his son’s face “light up” with wonder.

» READ MORE: Even at 34, Claude Giroux showed at All-Star weekend he is still 'one of the best'

While getting to share the weekend with his oldest son for the first time, the Flyers captain slowed down and savored his seventh experience at the event.

“That’s basically what I’ve learned through the years, is you have to be relaxed and enjoy the weekend,” Giroux said. “You can’t stress about the game or the skill. We’re all here to have a good time and try to put on a show for the fans.”

Now with seven All-Star appearances, only Bobby Clarke (eight) has made more with the Flyers. But having Gavin and his wife, Ryanne, present put a different twist on yet another All-Star trip for the 15-year veteran.

Those familiar experiences of sitting on the bench and chatting with rivals around the league during the skills competition or doing television interviews after the event had a distinct feeling with Gavin in tow.

“It was a great weekend, especially spending it with my wife and my oldest, Gavin,” Giroux said. “We’ve been doing a lot of cool stuff and just taking it all in and we’re going to stay for one more day, kind of just hang out.”

In addition to having his family present, Giroux found this year’s event unique from past experiences. This time, the 34-year-old didn’t have any of his Flyers teammates to accompany him, nor as many of his friends and rivals from around the league in attendance.

The average age of this year’s All-Stars was 27.3 years old, while 18 of the 45 players were 25 or under. In all, 20 players made their All-Star debuts. Only Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos, a friend of Giroux’s dating back to their experience playing for Canada at the 2008 World Juniors, had as many All-Star appearances as Giroux did.

“This year, it kind of feels like my first one, to be honest,” Giroux said. “Don’t know as many guys as the other All-Star Games. Kind of older than some of the players here, but that makes it a lot of fun.”

Competing alongside some of the budding stars around the league — Metropolitan Division teammate and 20-year-old New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes, for example — was a treat for Giroux.

“Coming here and being around all these young guys and being able to kind of just participate with them, it’s fun and makes you feel young again,” he said.

But the idea of feeling “young again” at the All-Star Game implies that Giroux’s age has seeped into his play this season.That couldn’t be further from reality for Giroux, who is second in franchise history in points (893).

Through 45 games, Giroux ranks second on the Flyers in points with 35, trailing winger Cam Atkinson by one. To further hammer home that point, he showed he’s still going strong in dazzling fashion in Las Vegas, registering three goals and one assist (over two 20-minute games) to lead the Metropolitan Division to the title.

When he couldn’t finish his scoring chances, Giroux’s signature competitiveness showed, even in an All-Star Game. During the semifinal game against the Pacific Division, Giroux fired a shot wide of the net and whacked his stick into the end boards in frustration.

His efforts earned Giroux MVP honors, making him the third Flyer (Reggie Leach, Wayne Simmonds) and the sixth-oldest player to earn the distinction. Metro Division rivals appreciated being on his team for once and benefiting from his talent instead of being on the receiving end.

“Just a high-end player,” Carolina Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho said of Giroux. “Obviously, I think it’s his seventh time in the All-Star Game. So that tells you that he’s been really consistent and competitive throughout his career. Just a great guy in the locker room.”

Flyers fans are well-acquainted with Giroux’s playmaking and scoring abilities from over the years, even when teammates around him haven’t been capable of performing to his level at times. But on Saturday, fans across North America who don’t see Giroux on a regular basis, were treated to a showcase of his supreme skill alongside some of the best talent the league has to offer.

With the trade deadline looming and his contract expiring after the season, Giroux’s All-Star Game performance served as a celebration of his career to date. Regardless of the uncertainty of the future, Giroux chose to focus on the present moment.

All told, he captained the Metropolitan Division to an All-Star Game victory, he earned the competition’s MVP award, and he got to enjoy it all with Gavin’s face glued to the glass across from the team’s bench.

“Every time during the game I’d look at him and he’d be doing something silly, I know him and my wife, they had a great time during the game,” Giroux said. “Obviously when you win MVP, it makes it a little bit better.”

If it was indeed Giroux’s last All-Star Game as a Flyer, after such an illustrious career with the organization, it was fitting that he went out on top.