Flyers give Giroux three-year extension

Center Claude Giroux, who leads the Flyers with seven goals and 14 points, signed a three-year deal Monday that will pay him $11.25 million.

Giroux, 22, who blossomed in last season's playoffs, will get $2.75 million in 2011-12, $3.5 million in 2012-13, and $5 million in 2013-14. The salary-cap hit will be $3.75 million per season.

The Inquirer reported Sunday that contract talks had started and that the Flyers were anxious to get Giroux signed. He would have been a restricted free agent on July 1.

"Now Claude can concentrate on playing and we don't need to be concerned with this for a few years," said general manager Paul Holmgren, referring to Giroux's pending free agency.

Holmgren is also working to sign potential free agents Jeff Carter and Ville Leino.

"We started talking at the start of the season," Giroux said of the negotiations. "I had a couple of options to look over, and me and my lawyer talked about it and felt this was the best fit for me. We have a lot of good players on this team and I'm just trying to fit in. Hopefully, we can continue with our success."

Giroux, who leads the NHL with three shorthanded goals, is in the final year of an entry-level deal that pays him $765,000 this season. He was the Flyers' No. 1 pick (22d overall) in the 2006 draft.

Bonding trip. The Atlantic Division-leading Flyers (9-4-2) headed to Pinehurst, N.C., to start a bonding trip that will include golfing on an elite course. The team will spend two days in Pinehurst - golfing and eating together - and two days in Raleigh, where they will play the Carolina Hurricanes (7-7) on Thursday.

"We finished a couple of three-games-in-four-nights, so we're going to try to catch a little bit of rest here," coach Peter Laviolette said.