2009-2010 Fantasy 50MC Forecast: Claude Giroux

It is almost September which means the fantasy hockey season is fast approaching. To prepare for the upcoming season, I will be previewing a player per day until the first drop of the puck. The first player I will forecast is someone who I have been trying to educate myself with all summer long – Claude Giroux of the Philadelphia Flyers. The reason being is that he is on my own fantasy keeper team and I have been trying to decide whether or not he should be kept over the likes of Shane Down, Patrick Marleau, Danny Briere, Andrei Markov or Devin Setoguchi. From what I have read and how he finished the season, I think I will be keeping Giroux. Going into last season, he was expected to make the squad and contend for the Calder Trophy. However, after a lackluster training camp, he was sent to the team’s AHL affiliate, Philadelphia Phantoms. After scoring 34 points (17 goals) in 33 games, Giroux was called up to the big club, where he tallied 27 points (nine goals) in 42 ga...