Red Wings Addict

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/hockey/nhl/claude-giroux-uses-the-datsyuk-to-hand-flyers-1-0-shootout-win-over-leafs-142221665.html

Great article from last year, April 30, 2011 that's currently relevant. "Steadily improving" is the key phrase there. Not fast enough for your typical fan but it's there if you know how to look for it. Haha Pavel... 'No friend on ice.' Classic. Yeah I can see Pav making Fil pay for everything, haha. Not cool Pav, you know you have the better salary. Most importantly... I think he's there now. The way Filppula passes and cycles the puck with such confidence when he plays with Zetterberg or Datsyuk is true proof of some great chemistry. Anyone remember this empty netter where all three of them combined to get it done? It's at 7:57 "There are run of the mill empty net goals... And then there's THAT!"

Nice interview with The Todd. http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/tmr/comments/red_wings_forward_todd_bertuzzi_sits_down_with_sportsnets_christine_simpson/

Kind of how it starts though right? He's trying to prove how badly he wants to stay.

Dead dead dead.

Doesn't seem to have many fans on this board but I'd be curious to see how he would do in a Wings jersey.

Him coming off the bench last night was like a heat seeking missile to the Kings. Just BAM MOTHAf***A!!!

He must currently have the best backhand in the league right? I mean, only others I can think of who have a great backhand are Datsyuk, Crosby and... I know there's someone else but I can think of his name.

From November 13th, 2011 And now: What is a "breakout year" for Fil in terms of points? 45-50 (7 votes [4.73%]) 50-55 (27 votes [18.24%]) 55-60 (42 votes [28.38%]) 60+ (72 votes [48.65%]) How many points will Filppula score in 11-12? 40-45 (26 votes [17.57%]) 45-50 (31 votes [20.95%]) 50-55 (43 votes [29.05%]) 55-60 (17 votes [11.49%]) 60+ (31 votes [20.95%]) A little bit of a bandwagon effect there but that's alright.

True although it is much more rare and unlikely.

Yes and no. 46 points in 47 games in his first SEL season in which he won what we know of as a rookie of the year award. Then 32 points in 48 games in his second season where he ended up winning the MVP of the SEL. It is very, very difficult to put up points in the SEL. It is probably the exact opposite of a league like say the QMJHL which is stereotypically known as a league where very few play real defense.

The new Swedish Five. Franzen-Zetterberg-Nyquist Lidstrom / Kronwall / Ericsson I wonder how they would do against the old Swedish five. Holmstrom-Zetterberg-Samuelsson LIdstrom-Lilja

What's the latest on the re-alignment plan for that matter? Under that scenario those two teams could theoretically meet in the SCF.

I wish I had your optimism. I still think his agent is going to get him the best deal possible. Right now I kind of think this Grab contract is a sign of things to come for Fil's first time as a UFA.

And the Avalanche too, right? Big no-no to Wings fans I would think. This hit on Clowe surprised me a little. It made me realize maybe Kronner is stronger than I think he is. At the same time when I saw him hit Kesler this past year I wondered why he couldn't do the same or why he felt as if he had to leave his feet a little. It was like his hit on Ruutu.

Has he lost out on his chances for a Selke or even Hart nomination?

Yep. I'm not sure if I agree with the thought process and reasoning behind a rushed pummeling but whether or not anyone does is pretty much irrelevant. I can already see a game where a combination among perhaps O'Halloran, Watson or LaRue are out there as stripes and they don't jump in there as quickly after a big Kronwall hit. Like Selanne said last year, someone's going to get him eventually. I just hope he's ready for it and can hold his own much better than what the stereotype is about his fighting ability. If you asked a bunch of Wings fans about how Kronwall would do in a real fight with no refs to protect him you'd get an ugly answer about an ugly performance with perhaps some crude references to ducking like Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao. Right now, they wouldn't exactly be wrong but we don't know for sure. With the way things are, you shouldn't have to answer the bell every time but it seems like the reality of these days is that you will eventually have to raise your fists. Kronwall has pretty much allowed the refs to protect him or "turtled" after his hit on Hemsky. A part of that I think is because he still believes that he shouldn't have to answer for himself in a big hit to fight type of situation. Another part of it has to be because he simply doesn't have experience in that part of the game. I think that eventually he'll want to prove himself in regards to that kind of "gutless" or "chicken" hearsay because while he's a smart guy who values the intelligence in his game he is also a strong competitor with a lot of pride.

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120307/OPINION03/203070412/1128/rss16

Maybe go to an OHL camp or something. You might say in his case an Allsvenskan or League I or II but the open ice in Sweden is so freegin huge that I'm not sure how he pulled those off during his days in the SEL.

Well if it happens then it happens and I believe the Wings could come out on top but in the aspirations for a long cup run I probably wouldn't want the Blues in the first round. Ideally, that is. They are young and running on piss and vinegar. Beyond the first round though is fine with me. Chicago is a far more ideal first round opponent. It's the San Joses, St. Louises and the old Anaheims that aren't so ideal early in the playoffs.

Dude... Not cool. I hope a mod deletes it.

Yikes... There's an image for ya.

It looked really really bad. I hope Voracek is alright.