That’s Claude Giroux’s sweater in his locker stall. He’ll suit up in a game on Tuesday night for the first time since the infamous pitching wedge incident, as the Flyers play their penultimate preseason game against the New Jersey Devils.
Whether Giroux was going to skate—or should for that matter—was a topic of discussion all week, but obviously the Flyers’ captain felt he needed to get some ice time in a live situation. Then again, he also said he probably could have been playing all along. Per Tim Panaccio:
“I mean, it’s the preseason,” Giroux said. “It’s different in the regular season. If this was the regular season, I’d have been playing a long time ago, but it’s just making sure it’s 100 percent and not taking a risk. I mean, we still have a week and half before the season, and I’d be not smart just to rush it.”
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We have no doubt Giroux would have been out there if the games counted in the standings, and we’re grateful they soon will. The Flyers’ first regular season puck drop is little more than a week away—October 2 at the Wells Fargo Center.
As for tonight, local readers can catch Giroux’s 2013-14 debut on TCN at 7 p.m, or the game can be viewed nationally on the NHL Network.