Claude Giroux holds the hammer
Frank Seravalli: Philadelphia Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher gets a vote of confidence from CEO Dave Scott: “Right now, Chuck’s my guy. I feel like I’m personally surrounded by good hockey people.”
Adam Kimelman of NHL.com: Claude Giroux is a pending UFA with a full no-movement clause. GM Fletcher:
“Claude has a no-move clause in his contract and ultimately that’ll be his decision. We’re at the halfway point, we’re two months to the Trade Deadline (on March 21), so I guess the best way to put it is we’ll continue to have conversations and ultimately a decision will have to be made one way or the other. But it’ll be Claude’s decision.”
Pierre LeBrun: Pat Brisson, Giroux’s agent, in a text message: “Claude and I will be spending time together within the next few weeks exploring his best options while having discussions with Chuck.”
Giroux has a full no-trade clause and can decide what he wants to do. They will look at all options.
Frank Seravalli: Flyers GM Fletcher on the trade deadline: “We’re looking to aggressively retool here. Everything is on the table.”
- Avs won’t pay a high price Adrian Dater: Have been seeing on twitter that the Colorado Avalanche could offer Alex Newhook and/or Drew Helleson for Philadelphia Flyers Claude Giroux. Can’t see the Avs giving up either of those for a 34-year old rental.
Flyers and Rasmus Ristolainen have talked contract extension
Adam Kimelman of NHL.com: Flyers defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen is a pending UFA. GM Chuck Fletcher said that the sides have had some contract talks.
“It’s difficult to get physical defensemen, never mind physical right-shot defensemen,” Fletcher said. “You look at that game last night (a 4-3 loss at the New York Islanders), the Islanders are a big, heavy team and we had our hands full. We need to do a better job of competing in that area as we go forward, and Ristolainen can certainly be part of a six-man defense corps and bring an element that not a lot of people have. The goal when we traded for him was to keep him. He’s a pending UFA and he will control a lot of that discussion, and we’ll work with his representation to see what makes sense.”