Giroux to receive Wanamaker Award

Claude Giroux may have been overlooked for the NHL’s MVP award, but he won’t escape his breakout 2011-12 season completely unrecognized.

Giroux, who emerged as one of the league’s top players this year, will receive the John Wanamaker Athletic Award on June 5. The award is presented annually to the athlete, team or organization that has done the most to reflect credit upon Philadelphia and to the team or sport in which they excel.

The third Flyers player to be recognized with the honor, Giroux led the team in points during both the regular season (93) and the playoffs (17). He spent the majority of the year centering the Flyers’ top line with Jaromir Jagr and Scott Hartnell, scoring a combined 36 goals through the regular season and postseason.
 
Since 1961, the Wanamaker Award has been presented annually by the Philadelphia Sports Congress, a division of the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau. Giroux joins Bernie Parent (1975), Bobby Clarke and the Stanley Cup winning squad (1974), coach Fred Shero (1976) and the 1980 club that reached the Cup finals as former Flyers representatives honored with the award.

“This year’s recipients are wonderful representatives of the caliber of individuals in the Philadelphia sports community,” said David Montgomery, chairman of the Philadelphia Sports Congress. “Claude Giroux is not only an outstanding player, but he also has emerged as a true leader for the Flyers.” 

In addition, a Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Comcast-Spectacor chairman Ed Snider. Snider, of course, brought the Flyers franchise to Philadelphia in 1967. A member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, he has done a great deal for the sport of hockey, including founding the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation.