Flyers move Giroux to Panthers in trade involving 4 players, 3 picks

After 1,000 games and a reign as the longest-serving team captain in Flyers history, Claude Giroux is off to Florida to try to win his first Stanley Cup.

Philadelphia traded Giroux on Saturday in a deal that sent this season's all-star game MVP to Florida in a move designed to strengthen the Panthers' status as a Stanley Cup contender.

"Any day that you trade your captain is a tough day, and with how much Claude has meant to this organization and how he has represented himself for 15 years, makes it all that more difficult to say goodbye," Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher said. "Claude is one of the best players to ever wear a Flyer uniform."

Giroux had to waive his no-movement clause in the final months of his eight-year, $66.2-million US contract. The Flyers will pay 50 per cent of what's left on his deal.

Philadelphia acquired forward Owen Tippett, a conditional first-round pick in 2024 and a third round pick in the 2023 draft. They also traded Connor Bunnaman, German Rubtsov and their fifth-round pick in 2024 as part of the deal.

The NHL trade deadline is Monday at 3 p.m. ET.

The Flyers will receive Florida's first-round 2024 selection, unless the pick falls within the top 10. In that condition, Philadelphia will receive Florida's 2025 first-round selection.

Giroux has 18 goals and 43 points this season.

"He has demonstrated his elite leadership and work ethic during his tenure in Philadelphia and we are thrilled to be able to welcome a player of his calibre to our lineup," Panthers general manager Bill Zito said.

The Panthers lead the Eastern Conference with 90 points (42-14-6).

Giroux's arrival gives Aleksander Barkov an elite linemate and one of the best faceoff aces in the NHL. The Panthers earlier in the week traded a first-round pick and more for Montreal defenceman Ben Chiarot.

Giroux was traded after he played his 1,000th game with the Flyers and was feted Thursday with a game in his honour. Drafted in the first round in 2006, Giroux made his Philadelphia debut on Feb. 19, 2008, and has played his entire career with the Flyers.

He has 900 career points and is eighth on the Flyers' career list with 291 goals. Giroux helped the Flyers reach the 2010 Stanley Cup final.

He joined Hall of Famer and two-time Stanley Cup champion Bobby Clarke as the only players to reach 1,000 games entirely with the Flyers. Giroux was named captain on Jan. 15, 2013.

The Flyers have only 19 wins and are tied for last place in the Metropolitan Division.

Bruins to pay half of Lindholm's salary

The Boston Bruins strengthened their blue line as they make a push for the playoffs, acquiring defencemen Hampus Lindholm and Kodie Curran from the Anaheim Ducks for John Moore, Urho Vaakanainen and a package of draft picks.

The Bruins will send a first-round pick this year and second-rounders in 2023 and '24 to the Ducks, who will also pay half of Lindholm's salary. The 28-year-old Swede was the top defenceman on the market heading into Monday's trade deadline.

Boston entered Saturday night's games with 81 points, fourth in the Atlantic Division.

"Hampus has been a fixture with the Ducks for years, which we value and respect," Anaheim general manager Pat Verbeek said. "Our goal is to continue building a team that can compete for the Stanley Cup for the long haul. Adding players and assets that fit in the age group of our existing younger talent sets us up well for the future."

The No. 6 overall pick in the 2012 draft, Lindholm has five goals and 22 points in 61 games this season. The six-foot-four, 216-pound defenceman has 57 goals and 222 points in a nine-year NHL career.

Vaakanainen, 23, has six assists in 31 career games for the Bruins. The six-foot-two, 200-pound Finn was the No. 18 pick in the 2017 draft.

Moore, 31, a first-round pick in 2009, has one assist in seven games for Boston this season and 38 goals and 80 assists in 12 seasons with the Blue Jackets, Ranges, Coyotes, Devils and Bruins.

Curran, 32, has one goal and 15 assists for the AHL's San Diego Gulls this season.

Wild trade for Deslauriers

The Minnesota Wild acquired physical winger Nicolas Deslauriers from the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2023 NHL draft.

Deslauriers, who turned 31 last month, is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent this off-season.

Although not considered a high-volume scorer, with only one 10-goal season in his nine NHL seasons, the Wild admitted they sought a player with necessary edge ahead of the looming postseason.

"Nic brings a certain abrasiveness to his game that we all like, and we agreed that he's a guy that would make us better," Wild general manager Bill Guerin said. "We saw him a lot last year, and we've been following him a lot this year. He brings a physical nature to the game, leadership, sticks up for his teammates. He kills penalties. He's definitely a good add."

Deslauriers has scored five goals with five assists in 61 games for the Ducks this season. His 90 penalty minutes rank seventh in the league, with his 10 fights ranking tied for first in the NHL.

In 486 regular-season contests, he has 41 goals and 41 assists along with 498 penalty minutes. He has had a positive plus/minus rating just once in his NHL career.

Originally a third-round pick by the Los Angeles Kings in 2009, Deslauriers broke into the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres in the 2013-14 season before also playing for the Montreal Canadiens (2017-2019) and Ducks (2019-2022).