Out of 221 qualifying players in the 2018 playoffs, Claude Giroux ranks 221st in plus-minus. Over the last few weeks fans have been saying that Giroux's picture should have been on a milk carton. I disagree. I noticed him a bunch.
In game one, Evgeni Malkin walked past him en route to a spectacular backhand goal. In game three, Sidney Crosby won the faceoff and Giroux lost Brian Dumoulin in the defensive zone. It was behind Elliot just 5 seconds after the Penguins had scored their 3rd goal of the game. In game 4, Crosby walked out from behind the net and dunked the puck past the Flyers confused netminder. Claude Giroux stood and watched.
When you're a minus-10, you've earned it. Claude the Fraud tallied just three points in the series. He had 2 penalty minutes. He was awful.
In 2012 he was the best player in the now infamous first round series that saw him register 14 points in six games.
Again: I think a national TV audience saw Radko Gudas pass baton to Giroux as NHL's worst player. #NotAHomer #Flyers #Pens
Giroux's performance in 2018 was so bad that it's allowed me to get over the 2012 series. I never thought that was possible.
Photo courtesy of Getty Images