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

[ThunderAlleyNomad]

So that 2nd line doesn't look like there is a go-to scorer.

Purcell doesn't like to shoot the puck. Filppula's numbers indicate he doesn't score a whole lot. Drouin will be a rookie. Not sure that is a 2nd line we will be proud of.

Adjustments can be made to the lines. Maybe Teddy plays with Marty and Stammer and Killorn plays with Filppula. Or Drouin spends some time on the top line. Nothing is set in stone three months before the season starts.

 

[2 Weekes Notice]

The scouting reports from Detroit fans (thanks for those, by the way) suggest that a lot of his responsibility came in puck possession and zone entry, two things we're trying to build as team hallmarks but were pretty brutal at last year.

I think those particular aspects of his game might have dictated part of why we picked him over the other center options available. You look at the players we've targeted since Cooper took over and you see Drouin and Filppula, both guys whose role included advancing the puck in the neutral zone.

 

[2016cupwinners]

Purcell and Filppula may be too shy to shoot, but Killorn isn't afraid.

Primary shooters
1st line: Stamkos
2nd line: Killorn
3rd line: Johnson

Primary passers
1st line: St. Louis
2nd line: Purcell, Filppula
3rd line: Palat

I hope Killer is working on popping those one timers this summer.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

http://www.tampabay.com/sports/hockey/lightning/lightning-signs-center-valtteri-filppula/2130133

"A good question," he said when asked why his production fell so sharply last season. "I don't know. I really don't have a good explanation for you."

One thing for sure, he said, "going into next season, I feel confident. You always want to improve your game, and that's the goal for next season as well."

"It was a funny year, coming out of the lockout, short season," Yzerman said of last season. "I believe, generally, things average themselves out over the course of an 82-game season, so I'm not worried about the production from (last) year. His work ethic, his commitment to fitness is at an extremely high level. He works hard, knows his role. We're getting a real professional here."

But signing Filppula created the biggest stir because of whom he is replacing — "I hope I can be that guy," he said of stepping in for Lecavalier

"He's just a well-rounded player," said Yzerman, who played four games as Filppula's Red Wings teammate in 2005-06, then watched him for four years as a team vice president. "We didn't just sign him for point production. Our team can score goals. I like the rest of his game. He's good defensively, good on faceoffs and a good skater. He really fits what we're trying to do here."

"You want to be on a team that has a good chance to win," said Filppula, who picked the brain of fellow Finn and new Lightning teammate Sami Salo about Tampa Bay. "I feel like we have that team."

 

[The Macho King]

That's the thing I just love about Killorn... he gets a chance, he's putting the puck on net. Just the perfect North-South, no nonsense player.

 

[VM1138]

Its a risk, but hopefully he grows into that role.

Wings let him walk precisely because he never grew into his role, year after year after year. He's not bad, but he will kill your offense at times with his pass-first mentality and he's not overly difficult to play against. So, not a dynamic player ny any means, and Stevie overpayed for him, but there are worse players he could've gotten

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

Don't be deceived by this video, though. There are a few things on there that you're going to see very, very rarely, particularly shooting and physical play. Also bear in mind that this is Filppula on the wing, which tends to be a very different side of his game. Filppula at center has historically been very, very conservative offensively, not physical, and not very flashy at all.

 

[Coopers Gum]

What other fans are missing is that we don't need offense. Look at our offensive lineup without Flip. Still pretty stacked, right? Flip was signed more for his two-way game. He's not going to replace point production by Vinny, and everyone knows that. We need solid defensive help, and that is what Flip will bring.

I'm not saying he was signed purely for his two-way game; it'd be nice to see flashes of offensive brilliance, don't get me wrong. But, like I said, this team needs help defensively, and Flip is responsible enough in his own end.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

What other fans are missing is that we don't need offense. Look at our offensive lineup without Flip. Still pretty stacked, right? Flip was signed more for his two-way game. He's not going to replace point production by Vinny, and everyone knows that. We need solid defensive help, and that is what Flip will bring.

I'm not saying he was signed purely for his two-way game; it'd be nice to see flashes of offensive brilliance, don't get me wrong. But, like I said, this team needs help defensively, and Flip is responsible enough in his own end.

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.

 

[ThunderAlleyNomad]

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.

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.

Well #1 isn't going to bother me much, since except for Purcell (when he feels like it), nobody actually seems to want to be the one to enter the offensive zone. Mostly they want to dick around making silly no-look passes in the neutral zone.

#2 is a bit more problematic. All I can say is hopefully it's not as much of an issue or that Cooper can knock it out of him. But it's also something we're used to seeing.

 

[The Wyzerhood]

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.

He was just talking about how we needed Flip for his defensive ability, yet you go right back to how we'll be disappointed with his offensive ability.

Do you have a personal vendetta against Flip or did you overlook what CoopThereItIS wrote?

 

[Heaton]

Filppula is definitely a good defensive player and a very good skater. You won't have any issues about his effort game in and game out. I think he's a good 2nd/3rd line tweener which is why I was a little wary of his price tag, but that's the UFA game. You'll like him and be frustrated by him, but that's nothing unique.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

He was just talking about how we needed Flip for his defensive ability, yet you go right back to how we'll be disappointed with his offensive ability.

Do you have a personal vendetta against Flip or did you overlook what CoopThereItIS wrote?

My point was that his woes go beyond the production thing, namely that he loses possession for his line a lot. That's ultimately a bad thing overall, as we all know how important puck possession is to on-ice success.

I don't hate Fil. I'm really just disappointed with him, career-wise so far. He was always supposed to improve and he never really did.

Basically:

1. Don't expect to see much of what you saw in that video when he's at center.
2. Don't expect him to be physical.
3. Don't expect him to be the responsible guy on a good offensive line.

You wanted responsibility defensively, and that's essentially what you're getting. But it's closer to all you're getting than you're going to be comfortable with.

 

[c_robio]

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.

Bolded is the key here. Zone Exits and Zone Entries

 

[The Wyzerhood]

My point was that his woes go beyond the production thing, namely that he loses possession for his line a lot. That's ultimately a bad thing overall, as we all know how important puck possession is to on-ice success.

I don't hate Fil. I'm really just disappointed with him, career-wise so far. He was always supposed to improve and he never really did.

Basically:

1. Don't expect to see much of what you saw in that video when he's at center.
2. Don't expect him to be physical.
3. Don't expect him to be the responsible guy on a good offensive line.

You wanted responsibility defensively, and that's essentially what you're getting. But it's closer to all you're getting than you're going to be comfortable with.

What I'm ultimately expecting from Flip are:

1) Speed

2) Defensive ability and face-offs

3) Zone exits and entries

If he can deliver on all 3, we become a much better team. The issue of turnovers in the offensive zone is definitely a negative that may hurt our attempt at a possession based style, but hopefully he can work on this with the coaching staff.

I'm not expecting him to match his 2011-12 numbers, but even around 50 points would be a good return (as long as he delivers on the aforementioned 3 areas as well).

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

Flip is more like a 4 million dollar per year player, imo, but the overpayment is not that bad. If you want him for offense, play him on wing, if you need a very good 2-way player who's great in the FO circle, play him down the middle. He's very flexible.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

https://twitter.com/LightningTimes

Just FYI, Filppula's 5-yr deal with Lightning pays $4 million in 2013-14; $5 mil in 14-15; $6 mil in 15-16; and $5 mil in 16-17 and 17-18.

 

[LightningStrikes]

Filppula, 29, is coming off a season in which he scored 17 points in 41 games, his lowest per-game (0.41 ppg) point production since his rookie season of 2006-2007, yet he put up his best possession numbers, so there was a certain amount of bad luck involved in that scoring dive.

http://www.behindthenet.ca/nhl_stat...&f1=2012_s+2011_s+2010_s+2009_s+2008_s+2007_s

One of the challenges that Filppula will face in Tampa Bay is that he spent most of the past couple seasons in Detroit playing on a line with Henrik Zetterberg, one of the game's premier puck possession players and, no matter how skilled his linemates in Tampa Bay, they probably won't be as complete as Zetterberg.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=427227

 

[InjuredChoker]

Interview, podcast. Almost 20 mins, from lighting.nhl.com

 

[falconwatch]

Not thrilled with this move at all. Overpaid for too long with only one good yr. All I can think of the disastrous trade the Sabres made for Ville Leino, a similar player.

I will have to let Izerman's personal knowledge of the player rule and wait and see what happens.

Andreychuk for the HOF!

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

Not thrilled with this move at all. Overpaid for too long with only one good yr. All I can think of the disastrous trade the Sabres made for Ville Leino, a similar player.

I will have to let Izerman's personal knowledge of the player rule and wait and see what happens.

Andreychuk for the HOF!

Having watched both players a lot, Filppula is absolutely nothing like Leino. He's a much, much better hockey player.

 

[Finnpin]

All I can think of the disastrous trade the Sabres made for Ville Leino, a similar player.

Leino and Filppula ain't similar players at all.

 

[TheDaysOf 04]

http://www.capgeek.com/lightning/

According to capgeek, Filppula has a NMC; modified NTC. Could be similar to Malone's where the first couple years are a NMC.

 

[dbieon12]

http://www.capgeek.com/lightning/

According to capgeek, Filppula has a NMC; modified NTC. Could be similar to Malone's where the first couple years are a NMC.

Can we just sign everyone to a deal with a NMC. We'll have a concrete team for four years.

:vomit:

 

[falconwatch]

Having watched both players a lot, Filppula is absolutely nothing like Leino. He's a much, much better hockey player.

I hope your right. This what was said about Leino at the time of the Sabres signing,

The 27-year old Finnish winger had his breakout season last year, his third in the NHL, netting 19 goals to go along with 34 assists. He has been good for Philly in the playoffs, with 28 points in 37 games, so that fact, combined with the assumption of continued improvement may be why the deal seems a bit high for a guy who's only had one good year.

Leino has excellent vision and is a playmaking winger who can also play a bit of center if necessary. He's not overly physical, but his puckhandling and passing skills more than make up for that.

Sounds familiar to me.