Tonight’s the night. Game number 1,000, all done in the orange in black, all done with the ferocious passion that has hallmarked your game for the last decade. I don’t have confirmation that this is the end of your career here in Philadelphia, but it certainly feels like it. The fervor, the pomp, the circumstance surrounding tonight’s bout with the Nashville Predators feels like a goodbye. A farewell to long-cherished friend, a teammate, a brother. And I can’t, with a straight face, proclaim that I’m ready. I’m not. Tonight, is your night Claude Giroux, though you did have a habit of making every night your night. With a knack for big games, big goals, and making the plays we didn’t think were possible. You will skate out onto the ice of the Wells Fargo Center in front of a full crowd and do what you’ve always done. Carry the weight. Make the plays you need to make. Carry this entire franchise, in all of its mediocrity, on your back, kicking and screaming, to a win. And if the inevitable does happen, and you do get traded away. I hope you win it. I hope you win Lord Stanley’s Cup, regardless of the team, regardless of the adversity. Because if you can drag the Flyers to the playoffs, you can drag anyone. You can help any team crest the hill, reach the summit, and claim the eternal glory you deserve. You are criminally underrated, even in Philadelphia. You will always be my favorite captain and my favorite player. God, think of how many legends your name sits next to. How many all-time greats share space with Claude Giroux? As one of the greatest Philadelphia Flyers of all time, you brush shoulders with players that marquee this franchise. Bobby Clarke, Eric Lindros, Bernier Parent, Claude Giroux. You are synonymous with Philadelphia, a tried-and-true Flyer. And I can’t thank you enough for the impact you’ve had on this city, these fans, and this organization.

Oh god, I remember it like it was yesterday. Berating my buddies with texts about this kid on the Phantoms. This Giroux guy is insane, he’s going to crush it when he gets called up. And you did, from your first game in 2008 until the miracle run in 2010. You were the emerging star, the bright light to lead us into the future. There was a beauty to that 2010 Stanley Cup run, an almost storybook feel to every game. It was a run that sports fans everywhere die to witness. A once in a lifetime chance for all the glory in the world. And you were spectacular with 21 points in 23 games. None so much as important as the goal below, an overtime winner on home ice. A moment every player dreams of. An early notch in your belt, a career defining moment, and you made it look easy. Granted the 2010 run did not end as we hoped but it certainly inspired optimism for the future. We had our budding star, our phenom to keep us competitive, Claude Giroux.

I’m noticing quite an irreverent tone in my writing. As if you were some sort of hockey deity, a god carved from orange and black, destined to bring us Lord Stanley. And it’s hard not to think about the god-like impact you’ve had on this city and this team. I mean just a quick look at your career highlights, and you can see why. I’ve got a thousand different unbelievable plays I could thank you for. You’re the player every kid dreams about playing with. An idol, in living flesh, here to bless us with untenable hockey plays. Think about how many kids grew up dreaming about ripping one-t’s from Giroux. Just sitting opposite on the power play, waiting for that cross-ice sauce. Waiting to cement their name next to yours in the Flyer’s hall of fame. I hope you can understand the impact you’ve had on this city, this team, and this organization. I know Philadelphia gets a bad rap with how it treats players but you have to understand that you are loved here. If I do have to watch you leave after tonight’s game, I’m going to do so with pride. I’m proud that we got to have Claude Giroux on this team, and thankful for everything you’ve done. On and off the ice.

So, thank you Claude Giroux. Every year, you made us believe. You gave us faith, inspired loyalty, brought the fans to their feet with dangles, goals, and hits. And now that we’re coming to a presumed end, I feel that many of us wish we had we longer. In these dying seconds, we yearn to hold on just a bit longer. One more season, one more game, one more shift for 28. I guess this thank you note acts as a microcosm of your career in a way. We just didn’t appreciate what we had, when we had it. I’ve read countless articles, tweets, and general riff raff about how bad the Flyers are because of Giroux. But damn, did no one think of how bad we’d be without him? Of course not, too busy caught up in the moment. You are a legend Claude Giroux, and you’ll never have to pay for a drink in this city again. Thank you for everything, thank you for showing us what being a Philadelphia Flyer truly means.

I’ve been rambling, but I just can’t understate how much Claude Giroux means to me and this city, and this organization. Which makes me strain to wonder, how do you say goodbye to a legend?

PS. I’m holding true to the idea that Claude Giroux does get traded shortly after tonight’s game. He goes on to win the Stanley Cup and re-signs here in the offseason. He’s Claude Giroux, he is Flyers’ hockey. Please come back Claude, I know we don’t deserve it, but this city loves you.