Claude Giroux returns to the Ottawa Senators on a one-year deal worth up to $5 million in bonuses

Claude Giroux is staying in Ottawa for at least one more NHL season, agreeing to terms on a one-year contract for next season that carries a $2 million salary and can pay up to $5 million in bonuses. The move keeps the Hearst, Ontario native with the Senators after a four-year run, and it further shapes Ottawa’s leadership picture as the club prepares for another offseason rebuild centered on experience and core development.

The Senators said in connection with the deal that Giroux’s return followed a period in which he took time to evaluate his options. General manager Steve Staios characterized the decision as both a sign of belief in the group and a reflection of what Giroux brings to the dressing room, calling him a consummate professional and a source of veteran experience both on and off the ice.

Giroux, 38, played his first 15-plus NHL seasons with the Philadelphia Flyers from 2008-22 before a midseason trade sent him to Florida. In Ottawa, he established himself as a steady two-way presence and a points contributor, and he enters his return as a member of a roster that has leaned on veteran leadership to bridge younger talent.

While Giroux’s return was widely expected by those tracking Ottawa’s offseason plans, it also resolved summer speculation about a possible reunion with the Flyers. Reports ahead of the agreement indicated Philadelphia was among the teams tied to him in free agency, but he ultimately chose to come back to the organization where he has spent the past four years.

Ottawa’s captaincy narrative also adds context. Giroux has been described as a candidate to succeed Brady Tkachuk as captain, following Tkachuk’s trade last month to the Florida Panthers, where he is playing with his brother Matthew. Giroux’s comment about wanting to be “around those guys for four years” and describing the group as feeling like a family speaks to the significance of that leadership transition for a team searching for consistency.

From a statistical standpoint, Giroux’s place in the league is already secure. The Associated Press reported that his 1,165 regular-season points rank 60th in NHL history and eighth among active players, underlining why Ottawa’s decision to retain a veteran scorer is more than sentimental. It is also a bet on using a seasoned play driver as a stabilizing force during a period of roster and identity shifts.

Looking ahead, Giroux’s return positions Ottawa to keep a high-competition veteran in the forward group while sorting out complementary pieces around him. The next storyline for the Senators will be how his role evolves in the wake of Tkachuk’s departure, including whether he becomes the club’s central offensive facilitator and how Ottawa deploys experience through the lineup as training camp begins.

For the league, the decision also removes a major veteran option from the market. Giroux’s contract ensures one of the NHL’s recognizable all-time point producers will be in the same uniform when the 2026-27 season begins, and it provides Ottawa an added edge in the short, difficult work of building a playoff-caliber team around leadership and repeatable structure.