Claude Giroux expects to make his pre-season debut against the New York Rangers Tuesday. The Philadelphia Flyers captain has been dealing with a lower-body injury since the first day of training camp.
“I feel good. The last two practices I’ve been testing it out pretty good and it feels good so I’ll be playing tonight,” Giroux told reporters after the team’s morning skate.
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The 26-year-old made a surprise return to Flyers practice last Thursday, just six days after general manager Ron Hextall told reporters he’d miss two weeks with a suspected tweaked groin.
Giroux, who skated on a line with Jakub Voracek and Brayden Schenn at Tuesday’s practice, said he’s not worried about aggravating the injury and won’t play scared. He added that he’s unsure whether or not he’ll play in the pre-season finale against the Washington Capitals Thursday.
“If I start thinking about it that’s when something bad happens,” Giroux said. “We’ll go with (Tuesday) and we’ll go from there. I’m doing my best right now to be the best player I can be for the first game of the season.
“If I didn’t think I was 100 percent I wouldn’t be playing, so I’ve been battling the last few practices, I feel good so I’m going to play.”
