Great plays of 2016-17: Claude Giroux’s shootout masterpiece

Philadelphia Flyers captain Claude Giroux may be in the twilight of his prime, but this November shootout goal shows how talented he still is.

Say what you want about Claude Giroux, but he is without a doubt one of the most skilled players to ever put on a Flyers sweater. He’s enthralled us for years with his quick hands, slick passes, and devastating dekes. Just watch this video he did for GoPro a year or two ago (and stick around to the end).

That’s just nuts. The hand-eye coordination it takes to maintain control of the puck through that barrage of fast-moving projectiles is incredible to watch. It’s especially funny when the guys shooting at him run out of pucks and start throwing their gloves and sticks at him instead. Giroux continues on unfazed.

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Part of the reason I’ve always been drawn to hockey is how different it is from other popular sports. Anybody can run fast and kick a ball, which are all the skills you need to participate in a game of football or soccer (though of course it takes a lot more to play it well). But hockey is another beast entirely. I have enough trouble ice skating without clutching the railing at all times, much less with 200 pound men trying to knock me off my feet. Then there’s the whole puck handling/passing/shooting aspect to the sport, which only complicates things further.

Maybe if I had started skating earlier (and weighed 40 pounds more) the things hockey players are capable of doing would impress me less. Maybe I could do them, too. Instead, like most people, I’m left to watch in awe.

But back to Claude Giroux. He’s definitely coming off a poor season by his standards; his total of 58 points was the lowest he’s posted in a non-lockout year since 2009-10. But even amidst that disappointment, Giroux is still capable of making the jaw-dropping plays we know and love him for. His shootout goal early in the season against the Islanders stands out in particular.

As Jim Jackson notes, the ice at the Barclays Center has become infamous for its poor quality. It clearly didn’t affect Giroux’s mentality or performance, as he deked Jaroslav Halak into next week and potted the game-winning shootout goal. From the slow-to-fast approach strategy to the devastating shot fake, it was arguably the finest shootout attempt we saw all year. Flashier than the great play Ivan Provorov made on his first goal, and undeniably effective.

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Giroux may never be the player he once was, but his immense skill can never be questioned. Hopefully, Giroux will give us plenty more highlights that prove it next season.

(Stats via Hockey Reference)