Senators brutally mock reporter who claimed Claude Giroux was signing elsewhere

The Claude Giroux free agency saga had all the usual ingredients: speculation, rumored destinations, and insider reports pointing in every direction. But when the dust settled, Ottawa's official account delivered one of the best lines of the offseason.

The Senators officially announced on Tuesday that they had agreed to a one-year deal with the 38-year-old forward for the 2026-27 season. The contract includes a $2 million base salary with performance bonuses that could push the total value up to $5 million.

That alone would have been a solid bit of news. What made it memorable was how the team chose to announce it.

On X, the official Ottawa Senators account posted: "Giroux appears to be heading back to Palladium Drive, per literally us." The phrasing and the image with it pointed jab at reports that had linked Giroux to other destinations during free agency, including the Philadelphia Flyers, making it clear the team was well aware of the noise and happy to have the last word.

Giroux himself offered a straightforward explanation for his return. "I chose to come back because I want to be here. I'm excited to be an Ottawa Senator," he said. "Being around those guys for four years, we got really close. This team feels like a family. I just care for those players."

The veteran forward has been a model of durability and consistency since arriving in Ottawa ahead of the 2022-23 campaign. He suited up for every single game during the 2025-26 season, marking the tenth time in his career he played a full 82-game slate. Over his four years with the Senators, Giroux has appeared in 327 of 328 regular season contests and all 10 of the team's playoff games.

His production remained strong last season as well. Giroux led the NHL in faceoff percentage at 63.1%, posted 49 points to finish sixth among Senators scorers, and registered a plus-20 rating that trailed only Artem Zub on the roster.

With 1,165 career points across 19 NHL seasons, Giroux ranks 60th all-time among skaters.

The Senators have now locked in one of the most reliable veterans in the league for another year, and their social media team made sure to have fun with it.