Flyers, Giroux won't talk extension until after upcoming season

The Philadelphia Flyers will hold off on negotiating a new contract for Claude Giroux until the 2021-22 campaign ends.

"I've had good conversations with Claude and with Pat Brisson, his agent, and at this point our plan is to play the season out and we'll talk at the end of (it)," Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher said Thursday.

"I think we're both comfortable with that," Fletcher added. "Claude's our captain, he's a great player, and I anticipate that we'll find a way to continue that relationship going forward, but right now I think what we'll do is we'll just get through the season and we'll look at the situation and see where he's at, see where we're at, and we'll do what's best for everybody."

Giroux is entering the final campaign of the pact he inked with the Flyers in summer 2013. It carries a cap hit of $8.275 million, according to CapFriendly.

The pending unrestricted free-agent forward has spent his entire 14-year career with Philadelphia, and he's worn the "C" for the club since 2012-13. He finished tied for the team lead with 43 points over 54 games last season.

Giroux ranks second in franchise history behind Bobby Clarke in games played with 943 compared to the Hall of Famer's 1,144. He also sits ninth in goals (273), second in assists (585), and third in points (858) on the Flyers' all-time lists.

Philadelphia selected him 22nd overall in 2006.