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Filppula is probably the most underrated defensive forward on this team and quite possibly the entire league. We as Wings fans watch him over 100 times a year and don't really get what he's doing. He's a defensive forward. Not every defensive forward is Hank or Pav. For the same reasons defensive liabilities like Malkin can rack up a ton of points, that's what makes it harder for guys like Flip to score. You're either crashing the net or skating backwards. One or the other. Just watch Flip-when the other team touched the puck, he's on his horse going backwards to disrupt their rush. When we're shooting it on net, he's letting his linemates play offensively and hovering about 20 feet behind where most offensively minded players would, just as a precaution. All we notice, is that he's not scoring 70. His defensive game goes overlooked by even fans of his team. The guy is a huge reason why we're the defensive team we are. We could replace him with a 70 point guy who, sorry, skates like Franzen while backchecking and that won't help us much if at all. Could Flip get 70? Really, I think if he played offense like some players in this league do, and had two good linemates, I think he could get 80. But that's why we're Detroit and that's why we win. I dunno why I even bother, I've typed this a dozen times before. No one listens. They just blindly expect 70 points out of the guy when that's not really what will happen unless he totally changes his style of play. And ask any defensive forward-it gets into your head. When your first gut instinct is to skate backwards and not forwards, that changes everything.

Yeah-- Detroit fans are jealous of your franchise's amazing success over the last 15 years. Let's assume you're high and forget who won 4 cups in 11 seasons.

I do believe you forgot to add "we tank correctly to get 3 straight top picks". Sit there and act like you wouldn't be rooting for whoever was playing the Wings if the roles were reversed. It's called a rivalry. Do you think we sat here and rooted for the Avs back in the late 90's/early 2000's?

I was actually talking about international tournaments where Finland has gained success with hard work and grinding against the more skilled countries.It's just that most of the people here think "Europeans are soft", in GENERAL. Even outside hockey. Then again. You don't know basically anything about players who don't play in the NHL. You don't have a clue what kinda players there are. I've said it before that if there are two players battling for the 4th line spot and they're both equally good in everything the spot usually goes to the NA guy. That's why most European players who want to succeed in the NHL have to offer something different. That's the biggest reason why you don't see many tough guy Europeans in the NHL. There are always less players who are skilled compared to players who are tough. There are numerous tough players, tough guys outside NHL but they really have nothing special to offer. If you are an European player growing up it's more likely that you get in to the NHL by taking the skill road. Of course that has also made the European players more skill-wise, because everyone wants to get in to the NHL. The thing is, most of you guys have never watched a single game of any European league. The general picture you have of Europeans is flawed. You think there are only Europeans and North Americans, and you probably even think that it's the same way in real life - that NA guys would generally be tougher. Basically it's about demand and supply. There are many tough players in the NHL, but there have always been surplus when it comes to the skilled players. That's why European players who crack in the NHL are usually skilled.

I hope that he stays with the Wings in some way whether it's with the Griffin's or as an extra forward brought in for grit.I don't want to picture him in another jersey as it would seem wrong.

its way easier to get in the negatives than i thought

no way lidstrom makes less than rafalski. If he comes back I expect it to be around 6-6.5M

That game was awesome! But if you guys think the league is going to let Crosby lose a playoff game 7 in his own barn to the 8th seed without getting plenty of "help" from the refs then you're crazy. Prepare to be pissed off about the officiating after Game 7. esteef

Wait a minute... two weeks ago you guys were laughing "Ohhhhh the Caps choked!! They lost to the 8th seed how pathetic!" Now you guys are in a Game 7 with that same 8th seed and you're "proud of the Pens". We lost to the #1 seed in the West, a team loaded with superstars. You're in a dogfight with a team that finished with the 18th best record in the league and has played the entire series without their best defenseman and now their second best is injured too.

Good call. Nevermind his 9 points (4 of those being goals) in 12 games in the playoffs and his 8 point/3 game streak in the midst of having 27 points in 33 games all the while have a career season in points per game. Let's ignore the reality and demand a trade for Filppula. This news sucks. We need someone new in our top 6. Period. EDIT: Changed 7 points in 9 games to the correct 9 points in 12 games

I think we should release Chris Osgood. I believe his time has come for retiring from the NHL. We need to find someone that can back up Jimmy Howard that is just as good as he is.

I just don't understand some of the critisim of Babcock of late. 4 of the 5 years they have been 1st in the Central, 5 straight 100 point seasons and he's playoff record is pretty good. A Stanley Cup and back to back finals. Yeah yeah they lost to the Oliers in the 1st round in his first season, but the Oliers had a great playoff run to make the finals.

That's not superstar treatment. "Superstar treatment" implies that guys like Sedin and Parise receive the same kind of treatment. What he gets is probably special treatment at its finest.

Why don't you know there difference between opinion and fact? also whats with ur stupid font? Van has some great young players that are improving. Burrows, raymond, kesler, bernier, edler, grabner???? You think theyve peaked or something??

Vancouver's a young team. They have plenty of time to win the Cup. This isn't their last chance. Seems like people are talking like it is.

Wonder what he would've been in the even more tougher UK league then.

Will you please stop accosting people with facts and instead simply allow them to make mindless allegations backed by neither evidence nor reason?

Ville Leino was practically a heavyweight enforcer, due to the time spent in the super tough Finnish League.

Your a snarky fellow aren't you with your snide comments. Maybe you resort to that to make up for your lack of hockey knowledge. So far that's all I've seen from you.Try to bring the level of debate to higher standard your posturing is not helping.

penguins totally dominated the hab-nots and still got screwed by the refs

crosby got his

Haha I was reading over this thread...actually kind of funny. The jealousy is hilarious. You aren't as domimant as you once were and now you are getting angry about it. You refuse to accept the fact that anyone in the NHL can be equal to the divine REd WIngs. Habs? 24 cups? No, the Red Wings are better. It's nourishing to me how much you guy want Pittsburgh to lose. Either way, I'm proud of the Pens. We play hard, we do contracts correctly. We might lose in seven to a team that also upset the President's Trophy winners, but at least we didn't lose in 5 to the biggest choke-artists of all time.

I have to admit that kind of pisses me off that Nik said money will be a factor. I mean I can understand why he still wants to get paid like a baller, because let's face it he still his one of the best. But come on man I wouldn't have expected him to say money was a factor , 5 sounds about right....

thats right! and hes gonna lift it up again this year!