Why Giroux says he expects boos in his return to Philly

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Claude Giroux is inarguably one of the best players in Flyers history, a tremendous talent who gave 15 years and 1,000 games to the city's hockey fans.

But even Giroux is convinced that, when he makes his return to the Wells Fargo Center next season as a member of the Ottawa Senators, he's going to get booed.

Because that's just how it goes.

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Giroux appeared on The Wally & Methot Show this week to talk about basically everything, from his time in Florida to what he expects the Senators to do this year, and towards the end of the conversation Giroux was asked about his eventual return to the place he called home for a decade and a half.

Since Giroux's Panthers didn't make it up to Philly after he was traded to Florida last season, the Nov. 12 matchup will mark the first time Giroux sets foot in the Wells Fargo Center since March 17.

Here's what G thinks will happen:

"I haven't played as a visitor at the Wells Fargo yet, but yeah — I mean, I don't know what to expect. Philly fans, so they might give me a standing O and then boo me. So that's what I expect, and I wouldn't ask for anything else. The Flyers fans are absolutely nuts, playing in front of them, their passion and intensity, it's just something I can relate to all those years. They're tough on their players but when it goes well they're just great fans."

Ha.

Giroux might be correct — even though there's absolutely no reason for Flyers fans to boo him, considering he was only traded out of deference towards the captain, now that he's basically publicly asked for boos he's going to get them. The same thing happened to Wayne Simmonds when he returned to Philly in 2019.

It's just what happens.

And I enjoy Giroux acknowledging the inevitable boos, and Flyers fans being "absolutely nuts," and really just sounding like someone who loved his time in Philly.

His first time back on the nice this fall is going to be appointment viewing, not just for Flyers fans but for hockey fans. It should be a special moment, boos and all.

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