Claude Giroux sounds off prior to “nerve wracking” Florida Panthers debut!

New Florida Panthers forward Claude Giroux was the highest-profile name to be dealt ahead of Monday's NHL Trade Deadline, leaving the only NHL club he's ever suited up for in the Philadelphia Flyers for the high-powered Cats, a bonafide Stanley Cup favorite. 

At 42-14-6, the Panthers are enjoying the best season in franchise history, and just added a talented veteran who has played in the Stanley Cup Finals earlier in his career. Florida's offense is lethal, currently leading the NHL with 252 total goals scored. 

Giroux will be making his Panthers debut tonight as he and his new teammates take on the Montreal Canadiens, and will be skating on the top line flanked by captain Aleksander Barkov and Carter Verhaeghe. 

"Those guys are fast players," Giroux said. "Barkov can do pretty much anything you want a player to do so I'm going to try to fit in the line, try to bring some playmaking and go to the net and just have fun out there."

"It's just something I've never done before so it's a little nerve-wracking but I'm very excited," Giroux said about playing for another team.

Of course, you can't blame Panthers head coach Andrew Brunette for being a bit excited upon Giroux's acquisition, making his already deadly club even stronger. 

"It was like Christmas morning the other day when we got those guys," Brunette said. "It's going to take probably a little bit of time. My biggest concern is they're so talented, they're such great players that they're just going to try to force feed things to each other where I just want them to be themselves, play hockey. Their IQ levels are off the charts. They'll figure it out but it might take some time and we're very well aware of that. But smart players usually always figure things out."