Confirmed with Link: Valtteri Filppula agrees to 5 year deal ($5M AAV)

[InjuredChoker]

Flip is lot more proven, better defensively and better skater.

 

[Finnpin]

Flip is lot more proven, better defensively and better skater.

This.

And talking about Leino, Sabres tried him at centre but he was useless in the role as Sabres game system didn't feed him the puck. His offense comes from puck possession. Hard first Sabres season for him and then came the injuries. Played good few games in the end of last season though when coming back.

 

[crashman]

I didn't read this entire thread, so I'm not sure what the general consensus on the Filppula signing is...but in my opinion, Filppula is the player that put up 66pts in 2011-2012, not the guy that showed up last year.

As you may know, he was injured pretty bad (MCL sprain, IIRC) playing for Jokerit during the lockout and I think he forced himself back on the ice because it was his contract year. That's why he took a step backwards.

I think Filp is going to be great in Tampa and be worth every penny of that contract. It's a good fit for him and I think he'll embrace the fact the he's has more of a key role and not just a supporting guy under Datsyuk and Zetterberg (not that Tampa's without elite talent or anything). He's a super classy guy and he'll be missed in Detroit.

I'm glad our teams are in the same division now, this way I'll get to keep an eye on Filppula as he's one of my favorite players.

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

im not quoting anyone this time. I am detroit and lightning fan I LOVE FIPPULA he is a hard worker he fights on boards and behind the nets he is not the best pure goal scorer ever he plays better with better talent on second line he will be fine. He will do a lot of something WE LACK guys that go in with SKILL and beat the dammm boards all the time that alone would have made me give him a serious look.

He is skilled he is not dayksuk or zette. That is what detroit expected but he is a great two way second line center. He is complete and highly competitive. He played hurt and with young guys last year and took till end of year to seem like old val and playoffs. Detroit will say he has no big game he won the anaheim series hes done things like that before. Yet they want paval or zette so know what they mean but he is what he is.

Major upgrade for us in style we want to play and will make others more aggressive in that way Purcell kept his stats up last year but passed more I am ok with that as long as someone puts in the puck. He is very good at fighting on boards and swinging puck through crease so if we got guys to chip in ? interesting just saying

I believe was overpaid one million or 1 year but was fourth best center available counting vinny and for what cooper does? Best for our system and will be instrumental to show youngsters work ethic and hard nosed playing. Brings winner mentality too so just like the kids got a lot of guys expect to win now.

 

[MMANumminen]

Great skating and puck control. Last year in DET was a fluke. You're gonna love him in second line

 

[Retire91]

Yzerman has some first hand knowledge of him and would likely have had lengthy discussions about him with holland and babcock. Yzerman must see something he likes to sign at 5 million. I have always been underwhelemed by fil. Always felt he could be better then he showed in detroit. At one point in time Gretzkey even said he lools like he'll be a superstar. Maybe tampa will unlock something the wings couldn't.

 

[Retire91]

I don't see why people are too worried if he doesn't work out he has trade value. If Stevie can turn Quincey into Vasalevski. Imagine what he can do with Filpulla.

 

[LightningStrikes]

Nice piece on Filppula and his advanced stats: http://boltstatistics.com/2013/07/23/nuts-and-bolts-an-analytical-profile-of-valtteri-filppula

 

[Nut Upstrom]

Really going to miss Flip in Detroit, he's been one of my favorite Wings for a while but I think moving on was a good decision by him and I've no hard feelings.
Val has great offensive instincts, great vision and plays a very solid game at both ends of the ice; can kill penalties, can play center or wing and has near-elite talent, passing and puck-handling skills and a shot that is better than most give him credit for. His faceoff skills are also underrated.
The only thing that can get (infuriatingly) frustrating about Val's game is his reluctance - borderline phobia it seems - to put the puck on goal, to drive the net or to challenge for prime scoring spaces in the offensive zone, he's a 60 pt. or better player if he would shoot or drive the net more frequently.

Last season for him was an injury-riddled fluke; his defensive game did not suffer, his faceoff numbers were good but he simply could not score. His PP time was on an abysmal second unit and, of course, in typical Filppula fashion, he refused to shoot the puck or take it to the net. I hope he does well in Tampa, I think the Bolts got a really good player in his prime.

 

[Nut Upstrom]

I think what you'll be angry at him for at this point next year is that he only sometimes makes his line better offensively. He has a very bad combination of habits:

1. He always wants to be the guy to break the offensive zone.

and

2. He often loses the puck/bobbles a pass right after he breaks the offensive zone. It's almost always in the same spot: just past the offensive blue line. That's the Filppula danger zone.

What this ends up meaning is that you'll come away feeling like Fil is holding back his line. He still does a good job of getting you out of your own zone, but he's also going to hurt his line's overall time in the offensive zone. It's absolutely maddening. I think you're going to come to feel bad for his wingers with a little bit of time.

I somewhat agree with the first point, though it depends who he is playing with. On last year's PP he HAD to be the guy gaining the zone because no one else could.

On point two I disagree almost completely. Filppula is not a clumsy skater or puck handler, he does not have a problem with bobbling or fumbling the puck or giving the puck away once he enters the zone, Not from what I have seen anyways.
However, he will not challenge defenders or take the puck to the center of the ice or to the net; if he has room he will beat a d-man along the boards; most likely he will drop the puck to a teammate at the blue line. As a big fan my frustration with Filppula was not about his coughing up the puck; behind only players like Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Lidstrom, Val was one of the players I felt comfortable with the puck as I knew he'd usually find an open man. The frustration will come when he has a prime scoring chance and instead dishes to a player on the wall, or when he has one defender to beat and curls away from the net toward the boards and dishes to a flat-footed teammate instead of using his speed or puck handling to create a scoring chance.

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

I somewhat agree with the first point, though it depends who he is playing with. On last year's PP he HAD to be the guy gaining the zone because no one else could.

On point two I disagree almost completely. Filppula is not a clumsy skater or puck handler, he does not have a problem with bobbling or fumbling the puck or giving the puck away once he enters the zone, Not from what I have seen anyways.
However, he will not challenge defenders or take the puck to the center of the ice or to the net; if he has room he will beat a d-man along the boards; most likely he will drop the puck to a teammate at the blue line. As a big fan my frustration with Filppula was not about his coughing up the puck; behind only players like Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Lidstrom, Val was one of the players I felt comfortable with the puck as I knew he'd usually find an open man. The frustration will come when he has a prime scoring chance and instead dishes to a player on the wall, or when he has one defender to beat and curls away from the net toward the boards and dishes to a flat-footed teammate instead of using his speed or puck handling to create a scoring chance.

I watch a lot of detroit and yes valtteri goes up middle of ice at times and passes to boards that is what he was talking about when most think he should let the slapper fly. Problem was his guys on line were usually falling behind him last year think that will not be the case for our team got plenty of guys whom will keep up with val He put up 66 to zetterburgs 69 with hudler is the numbers. You put him with skilled fast guys he will produce and be good now he was playing forward yet with zetterburg they both ran that line etc.. detroit likes to bring that up that he couldnt make it as second line center or some guys say that. I disagree.

I think he will be good solid for us and when kucherov takes first line if marty is still here think he remains second line center and killorn stays on win next year and really dont see why we would put vladdy when he comes up pretty much exact same player? in his spot either?

So can see him anchoring that line for 3-5 years. I am one also whom thinks marty is here for 3-5 years more. Meaning val with have drouin and killorn for awhile which will be very solid second line.

Is a lot of people whom will say well if vladdy and connolly do not get to top two lines we wont keep them? I dont buy that think the ship changes a lot the year marty leaves till than we might have some very very very skilled 4 lines and everyone getting 15 type of minutes forward center wise.

I could see it happening for a bit. When marty leaves drouin will be first line probably with kucherov and stamkos yet maybe we do a russian line etc.. except just think kucherov and stammer together are two best snipers in NHL for years. ]

When that happens can see some changes to second line and maybe val is not that center etc.. Maybe is traded for draft picks or whatever or put down to give connollys and vladdy's they shot etc..

Dont see a huge change till marty retires though.

 

[Nut Upstrom]

I watch a lot of detroit and yes valtteri goes up middle of ice at times and passes to boards that is what he was talking about when most think he should let the slapper fly. Problem was his guys on line were usually falling behind him last year think that will not be the case for our team got plenty of guys whom will keep up with val He put up 66 to zetterburgs 69 with hudler is the numbers. You put him with skilled fast guys he will produce and be good now he was playing forward yet with zetterburg they both ran that line etc.. detroit likes to bring that up that he couldnt make it as second line center or some guys say that. I disagree.

If you're looking at Val's 60+ point season then there's little to do about Val's game but rave and expect more of the same. Problem with Flip is he tantalizes and teases and practically cons you into thinking, believing and knowing there is more to come - because you see it so frequently in his game, in his hockey IQ, in his vision and talent-level. Unfortunately, up to this point Val has not done that consistently, all he has been consistent about is making fans believe that he is on the cusp of being a star player - personally, I've been there for a few years now, and am still there! Would love for him to put it together, but have been wanting and expecting that for some time and it only seems to come in flashes.
I'm not slagging on the guy or anything, he's a special player with a boat load of talent, one of my favorite Red Wings for years; he can just frustrate the hell out of you with the talent he has coupled with his head-scratching highs and lows. It's not an effort thing or a talent thing; I just don't get it and it has frustrated the hell out of me for years.

Best of luck to him in Tampa, I hope he gives you fans and Stevie Y his money worth and then some.

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

If you're looking at Val's 60+ point season then there's little to do about Val's game but rave and expect more of the same. Problem with Flip is he tantalizes and teases and practically cons you into thinking, believing and knowing there is more to come - because you see it so frequently in his game, in his hockey IQ, in his vision and talent-level. Unfortunately, up to this point Val has not done that consistently, all he has been consistent about is making fans believe that he is on the cusp of being a star player - personally, I've been there for a few years now, and am still there! Would love for him to put it together, but have been wanting and expecting that for some time and it only seems to come in flashes.
I'm not slagging on the guy or anything, he's a special player with a boat load of talent, one of my favorite Red Wings for years; he can just frustrate the hell out of you with the talent he has coupled with his head-scratching highs and lows. It's not an effort thing or a talent thing; I just don't get it and it has frustrated the hell out of me for years.

Best of luck to him in Tampa, I hope he gives you fans and Stevie Y his money worth and then some.

I am true detroit 28 years and tampa fan 16 years here but knew was coming 20 years ago.

Val is val I think he gets a lot of flack. Look franzen had his opportunities in playoffs this year he couldnt find the net. Val was same honestly I thought he was best player on ice yes was playing third line but had the space just couldnt find the net. Now some of that had to do with crawfords play honestly.

Val looked good and players go through that without the last three weeks of season and franzens play you dont hit the playoffs he just didnt cut it this year in playoffs is hard for players to peak at right times. Val was skating well had the space etc.. Would like him with a scorer a true one and that will probably not happen so he is 50 point guy this year. He will play drouin and purcell probably and malone on power play if malone can chip in 20 goals I think val can push for 60. Purcell needs to stop passing and score goals that is my question he seems to be tending to pass first instead of just releasing shot hope he can change that.

Next year if killorn drops to drouin and val than see val being a 60 guy a lot easier.

Yet im happy at 50's he creates plays defense hits the boards has winning and professionalism behind him and having a bunch of kids on team this is all wonderful for him to be our second line center for a bit He was good pickup and as have said we overpayed by 1 year and probably 5 million total but is todays market His intangibles of what just said professionalism used to winning are huge to this team of youth.

 

[Lord Stan 2020]

Nice piece on Filppula and his advanced stats: http://boltstatistics.com/2013/07/23/nuts-and-bolts-an-analytical-profile-of-valtteri-filppula

Missed this before GOOD stuff!!

Got one more tidbit. Valtteris 2011-2012 year with zetterburg whom got 69 points to val's 66 was with like a fourth of power play time of zetterburg yet more important to me was this

54 of his 66 points were even strength I had no idea on that one.

That is impressive was 13th in Nhl!!

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

THW: Valtteri Filppula Signing Upgrades Bolts