The Hearst Lumberjacks, set to begin play in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League in the fall, exist in part because of the Flyers captain's help.
"As a tribute to Claude, because we're not shy about this - Claude did give us a hand in contributing to the team - so we just wanted to thank him, and that was our way of saying thanks to Claude,"
team president Patrick Vaillancourt told the Timmins Daily Press.
"His financial support to the team is one of the reasons we have a team now in Hearst, and we really, really appreciate what Claude did for the town."
Giroux grew up playing for the Hearst Lumber Kings teams in the town of about 5,000 people, and the Lumberjacks wanted to honor them in the logo design as well.
They went with the flowing locks version of Giroux, who opted for a more aerodynamic hairdo last year, put his personal logo on the lumberjack's bulging forearm and went with Flyers colors for the uniforms.
Giroux's help didn't end with financial support. Vaillancourt said he's continued to aid the team's efforts as they get ready for their first season despite his busy schedule. And if the players ever need a little extra motivation, all they have to do is look down at his snarling cartoon face.
