Bombshell: Giroux Signs Two-Year Deal With KHL's Dinamo Riga

Our Latvian hockey liaison LVHokejs does a pretty good job of keeping us posted on the doings of Dinamo Riga. When it comes to the Flyers, Dinamo Riga is pretty much to the east what the LA Kings are to the west.

But late this week, LVHokejs sent me a newsflash from Flyers East that could forever change the way these two teams look at each other from across an ocean.

Headline: "Rīgas Dinamo sastāvu papildina rezultatīvais kanādietis Žirū"

In paraphrased English: Canadian Giroux Signs with Dinamo Riga.

Wow. Holy crap. The article says it was a two-year deal he signed. And who even knew he could sign stuff with those casts on his wrists?

Some important details on this shocking acquisition after the jump.

Upon further investigation into the article, it turns out that it wasn't Claude Giroux who signed with DR, but Alexandre Giroux.

Oh.

Alexandre Giroux is an unrelated AHLer who spent some time with the Washington Capitals at the same time Claude was breaking onto the Flyers. There was a comment at Japers' Rink during that era suggesting that Alexandre would turn out to be the better of the two, but that suggestion was quickly and correctly shot down.

"Great name, glad he's coming, but I wish the other Giroux were coming instead," said one Latvian commenter.

But in more sincerity, the Flyers seem like a fairly likely candidate to open their season in Europe next season, maybe even in Riga. Why not an exhibition game with Dinamo while they're over there? It would make Oskars Bartulis happy, and that alone should make it worthwhile.

Speaking of Oskars Bartulis, go try to win that shirt he's on.