After spending his entire career with the Philadelphia Flyers to this point, it seems as though Claude Giroux’s time with the organization may be coming to an end.

With the Flyers in the midst of a terribly disappointing season and Giroux on an expiring contract, all signs point towards a split with their captain. Below, we take a look at why moving Giroux to kickstart a rebuild is the Flyers’ ideal play at this point.

Why the Flyers should trade Claude Giroux

3. Giroux’s Age and Contract Status

The most obvious reason to move Giroux is that he’s now 34 years old and is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. With the Flyers in no position to compete and unlikely to rebound to be in contention next year, the Flyers can’t miss out on the opportunity to acquire future assets. Giroux’s value is still very high – he’s scored 17 goals and 39 points in 49 games this season, a pace of 28 goals and 65 points per 82 games. Philadelphia could surely get back some key picks and prospects to help for the future, should they opt to move Giroux.

Obviously, Giroux holds the power here with his full no-movement clause. If he doesn’t want to be moved, he’s staying put. That said, the possibility of him leaving in free agency this offseason could certainly become a reality anyways. You have to imagine Giroux could consider heading elsewhere to get a few shots at a Stanley Cup with a more competitive team.

Even if Giroux was brought back though, he’s old enough that he won’t be part of the long-term plan and the Flyers simply don’t have enough talent around him to contend in the near future. He’s by far Philadelphia’s biggest trade chip and cashing in on his value is the right move.