Z and D for the C

Okay, so when filppula keeps up his current scoring pace through the rest of the year and has another great playoffs...what will you say?

Okay, he had a good playoff. It happens. Did John Druce earn top-6 money after his?

Man if you think filppula is bad, look at Franzen. He's being paid almost 4 million and only has 3 points!

If we get 4 points I'll be happy.

Filppula - Filppula - Filppula Filppula - Filppula - Filppula Filppula - Filppula - Filppula Filppula - Filppula - Filppula Filppula - Filppula Filppula - Filppula Filppula - Filppula Filppula

From that article: "former Wings executive and coach Scotty Bowman, and he went on and on about one player: Filppula. Zetterberg had won the Conn Smythe, Datsyuk had been superb and Nicklas Lidstrom was majestic as always, but we'll never forget how Bowman, the game's greatest all-time coach, talked at length about Filppula." I'm sure that RedWingAbner thinks Scotty Bowman knows nothing though.

LOL. Admit yourself being proven wrong but once that happens you just say it doesn't matter anyway. Go away.

You know what, it's obvious there is no arguing with you. You'll probably never stop thinking up reasons why you don't like him, but the fact is he's creating chances, putting up the points and is good defensively. What else is there?

Filppula has done well enough to be 2nd in PPG (of forwards) since his return with the likes of Bertuzzi, Cleary, Miller, Williams. Hardly anyone I'd consider great.

Okay, good point. There are 16 teams who made the playoffs, so only 48 players playing on a first line, but 39 is still less than 48. It's retarded to think Flip is not a second line player. If you don't, you're a fool. End. And there is nothing more biased than taking an average of a player's first 3 years and calling him an x point player. If not for his injury, he would have undoubtedly gotten 50 points. If not more.

Okay chief, his points per game of all forwards was ranked 39th. Given that there are 90 players that play on the top line, that's like, FIRST LINE potential!

I would agree with completely. He's a waste on a third line and you're right, he isn't good enough to carry other players. But I'm sure he won't be on the third line forever and like I said in either this thread or the GDT, I'll be surprised if he's on the third line again. He's proven more than worthy of a second line spot.

And he only beat one goalie.

Flip's goal the other night did make top 3 goals of the week.

I'm pretty sure on that play he forced the turn over that lead to the break away. Crappy video qaulity doesn't show this.

Stay around for next season then.

Yes. He was 18th in assists per game last playoffs. 18th. And that's including half his time on the THIRD LINE.

There is more to the game of hockey than scoring goals. Based on his play since his return, he's on pace for 46 assists over 82 games. That's top 30 league wide (for forwards). That's more than Zetterberg last year. Again, there is no questioning his offensive contributions.

The numbers might have changed, but without doing that math I'm pretty sure Filppula, since his return, had the most points among forwards after only Datsyuk. That also goes for games since Zetterberg's return. I'm sure Drake can back me up on those stats. There is no question of his offensive contribution to the team. He's far from perfect, but he a second line NHL player, Red Wings or not. I'll be surprised if he doesn't play on the second line for the rest of the season. And he is a beast in the playoffs.

No one ever said he's a goal scorer. But that doesn't mean he won't be good for 20 goals. I'm not saying that I'm not biased towards flip (though I try to be as objective as I can), but I've never been hard on players for missing shots, especially on a difficult shot like that.

Consistently, yes. wings7 and lilja4mvp fall in the category I described to you. And obviously missing that shot makes everyone hate him, so a bad game to be taking any conclusions from.

What the hell do we have to laugh at?

Injecting Lilja once he's healthy.

And I'm sure I'd be defending him just as much. It's a hard shot to make, whether your crosby, Zetterberg, filppula or may.

I wouldn't rule it out. He's super dynamical like that.