Claude Giroux’s postseason ended in disappointment, but before that, his 93-point regular season and impressive output against the Pittsburgh Penguins showed why the Philadelphia Flyers passed him the torch. The greater Philly sporting populace noticed, too, as he became third Flyers player to ever win the prestigious John Wanamaker Award, edging out other great athletes such as Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy and boxer Bernard Hopkins.
“This year’s recipients are wonderful representatives of the caliber of individuals in the Philadelphia sports community,” said Dave Montgomery, the chairman of the Philadelphia Sports Congress. “Claude Giroux is not only an outstanding player, but he also has emerged as a true leader for the Flyers.”
Giroux is the first Flyers player to win the award since the “Broad Street Bullies” era dominated the city. Bobby Clarke (1974), Bernie Parent (1975) and coach Fred Shero (1976) took home the Wanamaker during that memorable run. To give you an idea of how big of a deal the award is, Philadelphia Phillies ace Roy Halladay took home the 2011 edition.
Peter Laviolette took a lot of grief for calling Giroux the best player in the world, but for one year, he apparently was the best athlete in the city.