5 Reasons Claude Giroux of the Philadelphia Flyers Will Win the NHL MVP

No Carter, no Richards, no problem.

That can easily be described as the Philadelphia Flyers' motto for 2012. Contributions from the rookies and pieces acquired in the Jeff Carter/Michael Richards trades have been invaluable but the real reason why fans are quickly forgetting Carter and Richards is because of the breakout season of one Claude Giroux. Trading the captain and one of the team's leading goal scorers didn't exactly seem like a smart offseason move; that was until the season began and Giroux emerged as one of the NHL's best players.

Coming in, no one knew the names of Brayden Schenn, Wayne Simmonds, Sean Couturier and Matt Read but Flyers fans did know the name of Claude Giroux, who made his Flyers debut in the 2007-08 season. Since that season, Giroux has only gotten better, increasing his goals and assists each year.

This season it is nothing different and with Carter and Richards gone, Giroux has gotten his chance to shine in the spotlight. He is leading this Flyers attack and is continuing to wow everyone in the hockey universe. With the 2011-12 season hitting its midway point, Claude Giroux is currently looking like the top contender to take home the Hart Trophy as the NHL MVP.

The Most Productive Line in the NHL

Claude Giroux, Scottie Hartnell and the rejuvenated Jaromir Jagr easily make up one of the most potent and productive lines in the NHL this season, if not the most. Led by Giroux, this line has scored 48 of the Flyers' 139 goals this season and has assisted on 68 more. This line has been involved directly in 116 of the Flyers' 139 goals and that is only counting the goals they contributed to that show up on the stat sheet. In the other 23 goals not directly scored or assisted by this line, Giroux, Hartnell and Jagr have still been making plays all season long to help lead the Flyers to victory and currently to second place in the Atlantic division.

It is no doubt that these guys are making each other better and there is no doubt that this line has helped to be a bit of a career resurgence for Jagr, a signing which had many in Philadelphia shaking their heads. Centering this line with the finesse and flare of an All-Star, Claude Giroux has been exactly what the Flyers needed him to be and more.

Impressive Goal Scoring

When Claude Giroux made his Flyers debut he only played in two games that season. His first real season, or so-called rookie season, came in the 2008-09 season when he played in 42 games, scored nine goals and assisted on 18 more. The next season he played all 82 games, increasing his numbers to 16 goals scored and 31 assists. Again in the 2010-11 season, Giroux increased his stats and became a very important piece on the Flyers attack, perhaps making it easier for the team to trade Carter and Richards.

Claude scored 25 goals last season and assisted on a remarkable 51 more. If it wasn't obvious then that the 23-year-old Giroux would be a future star, then it certainly was made known by his first-half performance this season.

Giroux's 18 goals in just 37 games are good enough for 12th best but his 30 assists have him in the top three for that category. Unlike most of the other Hart Trophy candidates, Giroux has high numbers in both goals and assists. His 48 total points have him tied for second best in the league and with 41 games left for the Flyers, he is on pace for career highs in goals, assists and total points. 

Averaging 1.33 points per game this season, Giroux is the NHL's most complete player and his dynamic rise on offense will see him win the NHL MVP.

Involvement in Most of the Flyers' Goal Scoring

Despite pretty surprising contributions from rookies, the Flyers would not be where they are—contending for the division—if not for the amazing breakout season of Claude Giroux.

As I pointed out in a previous slide, Giroux's line has contributed to 116 of the Flyers' 139 goals. Giroux himself has contributed to 48 of his team's goal total meaning he has been involved in the scoring about 34.5 percent of the time. Also, if you subtract the goals scored in the four games Giroux missed due to concussion, that percentage becomes even higher.

Giroux's value to the Flyers cannot be denied. With Carter and Richards gone, Giroux has been looked to this season to replace some of that missed offensive production and so far has not missed a beat. His 18 goals in 37 games have him on pace to match Carter's 36 from a season ago and his 30 assists at the halfway point already match Carter's 2010-11 assist total and have him only 13 assists behind Richard's 2010-11 season total.

He has been the Flyers' Mr. Everything this season and if he continues at this pace, he will also be the league MVP.

He Makes His Teammates Better

There is an expression I heard recently that indicates that some players just make their teams better. They make them want to play better, they motivate them and they help the team believe they can succeed.

Claude GIroux is that player for the Flyers.

Before this season, Giroux was just another Flyer. Mike Richards was the captain, a vocal leader in both the locker room and on the ice, and Jeff Carter was an assistant captain. A lot can change in a year however, as now Chris Pronger wears the captain's "C" and Claude has earned the right to wear an "A" as assistant captain alongside Danny Briere.

Giroux has been a leader all season but he has especially stepped up in the recent months. Once it was announced that Pronger would be out for the rest of the season and most likely the playoffs, Giroux became this team's surrogate captain and he has not failed in his role. Motivating the players and the team as a whole, Giroux really has made this Flyers team better.

He Has Emerged as a Superstar

Plain and simple, Claude Giroux has become a star and one who the Flyers will look to lead them to the playoffs for years to come.

Sure his breakout season was last year when he scored 25 goals and 51 assists, but this season is a breakout of a different kind. Giroux now has the entire spotlight on him in the city of Philadelphia. His abilities and talents are no longer hidden behind those of Richards and Carter, as Giroux has become the big-name Flyer now. Fans cheer his name and wear his jersey, and it might be soon to say, but it seems like they have already moved on from the days of Richards and Carter.

With guys like Joffrey Lupul, Simon Gagne and of course Mike Richards and Jeff Carter gone, this is a new age of Flyers hockey. Ushered in by the signing of new goalie Ilya Bryzgalov and featuring a talented crop of youngsters, Claude Giroux is leading the charge of a new generation of hockey in Philadelphia and in my estimations it won't be soon before long he leads the Flyers to a Stanley Cup on the way to becoming one of the best players currently in the league.