(Kate Frese/Sports Talk Philly)
By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 
It’s become a crutch of sorts. The reason for the Flyers inconsistency when it comes to making the playoffs has been because of the blueprint in place for prospects to come.
It was even easier to lean on that in the 2016-17 season when the Flyers had two full-time rookies and three others make their NHL debut. But the most important player to the Flyers future may actually be the longest-tenured Flyer, captain Claude Giroux.
Giroux is facing some scrutiny, as pundits wonder if the Flyers need to move on from the current captain, who will enter his 10th season in 2017-18. It’s not the most absurd idea in the world.
Prior to the 2013 lockout-shortened season, the beginning of the five year stretch that has seen the Flyers miss the playoffs three times, the Flyers made the playoffs in 16 of the previous 17 seasons. Giroux’s first season as captain was in 2013.
In the first four seasons, there was really nothing wrong with Giroux’s numbers. In the 48-game season in 2013, he was a point-per-game player. In 2013-14, he had 86 points in the full 82 games. In 2014-15, he had 73 points in 81 games. In 2015-16, Giroux only played in 78 games and had 67 points.
The slow but noticeable decline in points really set in this past season, when Giroux had just 58 points in 82 games. His 14 goals were the lowest for his career in an 82-game season. His point total was the second lowest of his career, besting only his first full season in the NHL in 2009-10.
I don’t question Giroux’s ability to be a leader. You don’t need a letter to be a locker-room presence, which I think Giroux is to the inner workings of the locker room that are meant for the players only, even if we don't see it in his media availability or outward showings on the ice. I don’t question his ability either. Giroux generally still gets quality scoring chances on a nightly basis and is still among the best at setting up his teammates.
Giroux’s numbers take a hit with the team’s overall lack of ability to finish. In Sunday’s season finale, there were at least two noticeable chances where Giroux was in prime scoring position and received the pass only to miss the net with his shot.
For the Flyers to get going, they need their top-line center to get going too. Giroux doesn’t have to be what Sidney Crosby or Connor McDavid are to their teams, but he needs to be more consistent in offensive production, something that was clearly a problem this season.
Giroux had 17 points in his first 18 games this season. He had 28 points in his first 29 games. At the halfway point of the season, he had 34 points, putting him on pace for 68 points, one more than he had in 78 games in 2015-16.
In the final 41 games of the season, Giroux went cold with just 24 points in 41 games.
It wasn’t just Giroux. Jake Voracek had 39 points in the first 41 games. In the last 41, Voracek had 22 points. Wayne Simmonds had 32 points in the first 41 games, including 17 goals. While he nearly matched his goal total with 16 in the final 41 games, he had just 22 points in that time as well. Brayden Schenn had 29 points in the first 41 games, and 26 points in the last 41, one of the few players that remained consistent in point production throughout the remainder of the season.
Unfortunately for the Flyers, when the wave of success that came with their 10-game winning streak ended, and Giroux’s production dropped, so did that of Voracek and Simmonds. At that time, the Flyers were a mess in terms of lineup, with players constantly rotating lines, injuries and overall inconsistency.
The problem is players like Giroux can’t afford to let the slow stretches consume them. It becomes painfully obvious when Giroux, Voracek and Simmonds are frustrated on the ice. And those periods last a few games sometimes.
Every player goes through peaks and valleys during a season, and there were All-Star players this season that didn’t finish the season with astronomical point totals. Johnny Gaudreau finished with 61 points this season, albeit in 72 games. Cam Atkinson led the Columbus Blue Jackets with 62 points and played the full 82 games. Minnesota’s leading scorer was Mikael Granlund with 69 points in 81 games. Montreal’s leading scorer, Max Pacioretty, had 67 points in 81 games. Nashville’s top two scorers, Viktor Arvidsson and Ryan Johanson, each finished with 61 points. The Rangers leading scorer was Mats Zuccarrello with 59 points.
Scoring balance far outweighs having one multi-point per game player, and that’s what makes a playoff team. So while Giroux’s totals may be in decline, there are other examples around the league where not having a point-per-game player still was enough for the team to make the playoffs.
That’s where defense comes in. The teams making the playoffs, with the exception of the Ottawa Senators, all had one thing in common: positive goal differential.
The Rangers didn’t have one player that stood out above the rest, but still scored 36 more goals than their opponents this season. It helps to have a future Hall-of-Famer like Henrik Lundqvist in goal, but goal differential is a team stat.
The same goes for Columbus, whose leading scorer had just one more point than the Flyers leading scorer and four more points than Giroux. Columbus finished the season with 50 wins and 108 points in the standings. They scored 54 more goals than the opposition.
Defense and goaltending is where it’s at these days and if you aren’t going to collectively play defense, you won’t win games and make the playoffs. It’s that simple.
But Giroux has the ultimate target on his back. Wearing the captain’s ‘C’ makes him the go-to guy. He needs to be better for his teammates. He needs to be better on the defensive end, rather than pressing so much to pad the numbers. He needs to be better for this city, that needs and really demands consistency from every player.
In the end, I wouldn’t say this is the end for Giroux in Philadelphia. But it’s time to consider that possibility moving forward, especially if the Flyers ever feel desperate enough to salvage their future and give Giroux a chance to win before his career ends.
