Claude Giroux is interested in returning to the Florida Panthers next season, the veteran All-Star forward told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun in The Athletic on Wednesday.

And sources tell LeBrun that Panthers GM Bill Zito has told Giroux he hopes to "find a way, if possible, to bring him back."

“It definitely would interest me,” Giroux told LeBrun. “Since the first day I got here, from my teammates to the organization, it was a great experience. Obviously, it helps when you’re winning a lot of hockey games. The full experience for me and my family, the organization did an unbelievable job.’’

The 34-year-old netted 21 goals and 44 assists over 75 games split between the Philadelphia Flyers and Panthers in 2021-22. Giroux scored three goals and tallied 20 assists with the Panthers after being picked up before the trade deadline. He added three goals and five assists over 10 playoff games before the President Trophy-winning Panthers were swept in the second-round by the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning.  

“You go on a team that’s been winning a lot, they have their thing going and you’re trying to get in there and make yourself as comfortable as possible and try to help out as much as you can, whatever that job is,” said Giroux, a native of Hearst, Ont. “Obviously, it’s the first time I had to go through it. I definitely have more respect for the guys who have done it now. It’s definitely not easy.’’

LeBrun notes that the Panthers will need to get creative in order to bring Giroux back as "more than a third" of their team are on expiring contracts this summer in addition to Keith Yandle's buyout cap charge of $5.4 million for the 2022-23 campaign. 

“Yeah. I came to Florida to win a Cup,” said the former Flyers captain. “Obviously we weren’t able to do that. But at the same time, I think we learned a lot from the Washington series and also the Tampa series. We’ll see how the next month goes, but excited to see what’s going to happen here.’’

Free agency opens on July 13.