FinRedWing 172 Report post Posted June 18, 2008 Filppula has given many interviews since he came back to Finland,here's one: Filppula haluaa jatkaa Detroitissa Sorry it's in Finnish,so here's a rough translation: Ice hockey player Valtteri Filppula considers himself a very lucky man. After being only the 7th Finn ever to win the Stanley Cup,he emphasizes that he was in a right place at the right time. "You always need a bit of luck in life",says Filppula who's currently spending his fourth day back in Finland. "Detroit gave me an opportunity. Red Wings is filled with Europeans and the team's style of play is similar to my own thoughts about how hockey should be played." Filppula signed a 3-year deal in 2005. That contract ended in a Stanley Cup winning celebrations a couple of weeks ago. Valtteri got to use his own strenghts. The Finn blossomed after NHL started to take action against obstruction. "Suddenly you didn't have to be so physical out there. Speed and movement became much more important." Filppula is currently living a very important month considering his career. He has a chance to go elsewhere,but he can't come up with any reasons why he should do so. "I have such good vibes in Detroit" He was one of Mike Babcock's trusted men. Babcock recently re-signed with Detroit and he wants to keep Filppula playing for him. "They think highly of him there",said Filppula's agent Markus Lehto,who's considers Detroit to be the best alternative for his client. Lehto has negotiated all season long with the Red Wings. They should be close to agreeing the terms in the next two weeks. Filppula wants people to know that the salary wont' be an issue. "Money won't be the main thing by any means. Detroit has been good to me and I'm loving it there." Filppula gets the Stanley Cup to Finland in the beginning of August. He promises that everybody who wants to,can come and touch the biggest trophy in hockey. "I'll bring it to Myyrmäki,to my old neighbourhood." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DatsMyWings13 4 Report post Posted June 18, 2008 Very good to hear that he wants to be apart of the Wings now and in the future. Thanks for the translation. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Crymson Report post Posted June 18, 2008 My friend in Finland told me that Filppula's goal in game 2 was played repeatedly on the news there. He's not even a hockey fan, and he saw it several times anyway. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Reilly 24 Report post Posted June 18, 2008 The 7th Finn ever? That seems extremely low. I figured there was at least one Finn on a SC roster over the past 20 years. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Reds4Life 51 Report post Posted June 18, 2008 Great news, Val is very important player! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FinRedWing 172 Report post Posted June 18, 2008 The 7th Finn ever? That seems extremely low. I figured there was at least one Finn on a SC roster over the past 20 years. Yeah,here's the list: 5 Jari Kurri 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990 (Edmonton Oilers) 5 Esa Tikkanen 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990 (Edmonton Oilers), 1994 (New York Rangers) 2 Reijo Ruotsalainen 1987, 1990 (Edmonton Oilers) 1 Jere Lehtinen 1999 (Dallas Stars) 1 Ville Nieminen 2001 (Colorado Avalanche) 1 Teemu Selänne 2007 (Anaheim Mighty Ducks) 1 Valtteri Filppula 2008 (Detroit Red Wings) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cicada 4 Report post Posted June 18, 2008 glad to see he's not bothered about money as well... love those hometown discounts...5 years for 10mill sound good to anyone? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JayUp88 1 Report post Posted June 18, 2008 <----- he's the man Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Casey 145 Report post Posted June 18, 2008 He has the potential to be truly amazing. Glad to see he wants to stay! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nev 1,085 Report post Posted June 18, 2008 glad to see he's not bothered about money as well... love those hometown discounts...5 years for 10mill sound good to anyone? Thats not hometown discount, that's hometown robbery! Flip is going to get somewhere between 2.5 and 3mil per year, probly a 3 or 4 year deal to take him through UFA status. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
octopusonice 0 Report post Posted June 18, 2008 Filppula wants to stay in Detroit I want him to stay too Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ben_usmc 253 Report post Posted June 18, 2008 5 years at 17 million, he reminded me so much of a young Pavel this season. You could see the moves and the D but just couldn't put together enough to get the points. In the next 2 years I promise he will start to get a few mentions of that ability. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Williams29fan 6 Report post Posted June 18, 2008 good news, Yay flipper! 5 year 15 mill seems fair to me! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chrisdetroit 189 Report post Posted June 18, 2008 Thats not hometown discount, that's hometown robbery! Flip is going to get somewhere between 2.5 and 3mil per year, probly a 3 or 4 year deal to take him through UFA status. I'm with you. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anomalously 0 Report post Posted June 18, 2008 Seriously? After two seasons of 40 points, Zetterberg gets a 4-year, $10.4M contract. After 17 and 36, Fil gets 5 for $15M or 5 for $17M? He's good, but... But come on... just because we have money doesn't mean we have to spend it. Sign Val for four years at $10M/year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Heaton 1 Report post Posted June 18, 2008 Seriously? After two seasons of 40 points, Zetterberg gets a 4-year, $10.4M contract. After 17 and 36, Fil gets 5 for $15M or 5 for $17M? He's good, but... But come on... just because we have money doesn't mean we have to spend it. Sign Val for four years at $10M/year. You know that commercial that says "The Cup Changes Everything"? In this case it's the Cap that changes everything. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Anomalously 0 Report post Posted June 18, 2008 You know that commercial that says "The Cup Changes Everything"? In this case it's the Cap that changes everything. And I gave him the same amount of change, even though Filppula isn't Zetterberg. Zetterberg led the Swedish Elite League in scoring -- during the lockout when there was a great deal of talent in Sweden -- before he got his money. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stud_defenseman 1 Report post Posted June 18, 2008 I like Flip, but I don't think he will get as much as some of you seem to think. IMO he has not proven to be a top notch player as of yet. 5 years at 17 million?!? I dunno about that. Take a look at Zetterberg's first contract after his entry level contract. He got a 4 year 10.4 mill... and this is after a season where he scored 43 points in 61 games. Zetterberg had far more potential. Filppula scored 36 points in 78 games... that certainly isn't worth 3.4 million a season as ben_usmc seems to think. It would be to the benefit of both parties also if he signed a contract for fewer years...Zetterberg would have been smarter to do the same as well. Even after Zetterberg's first season with his new contract he was already worth twice what his salary was, so by signing a shorter term he could have been making the big bucks a little quicker. It also protects Holland just in case Filppula does not turn out like we think he will. I expect a three year deal at roughly $6.75 million or 2.25 a season... you can't ask for much more being a 24 year old who scored in the last two seasons 36 and 17 points.... come to think of it that is even too much... I'd give him no more than $2 million. He is not a zetterberg or a datsyuk as of yet, and I honestly don't get the same feeling while watching him play as I did while watching Z and Dats a few years ago. I knew they were gonna be great... flip im still unsure of. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Reilly 24 Report post Posted June 18, 2008 He'll get a Kronwall-type contract. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest EZBAKETHAGANGSTA Report post Posted June 18, 2008 5 years at 17 million, he reminded me so much of a young Pavel this season. You could see the moves and the D but just couldn't put together enough to get the points. In the next 2 years I promise he will start to get a few mentions of that ability. I can see down the road him making over 3.4 a year at the very least but not yet. Id say more of a 3 year 7 million deal? than we can resign him at around the 3.5-4 million that hell most probably be worth than. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PaVel DaTsYuK fan13 0 Report post Posted June 18, 2008 awesome. I'm think 12 million over 4 years. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YoungGuns1340 1 Report post Posted June 19, 2008 Why on EARTH do people seem to think Filppula warrants 3M per year?? The only way I want to see Flip making 3M a year is if its on a 5-6 year contract. Otherwise, a 4 year contract shouldnt seem him making anything more than 2.5M. And even thats being generous, and a 3 year contract should offer 2M per year MAX. Alexander Steen - who is the same age as Filppula, has slightly higher offensive production, and also has a strong two way game - signed a 2 year 1.7M deal 3 or 4 months ago. There is NO reason to think Filppula deserves twice that amount of money, especially when Steen means more to his team than Filppula does. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thedisappearer 291 Report post Posted June 19, 2008 Well, if he wants to stay, I guess we could keep him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stud_defenseman 1 Report post Posted June 19, 2008 what he said ^^ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seeinred 1,488 Report post Posted June 19, 2008 This is great news, albeit not really unexpected. Thanks for the translation Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
