Trade Val if necessary.

[HOCKEY MATTERS 167]

I like Flip ok, but he sure sucked today. And he looked lazy. And I don't want to see him traded.

[hokike 1]

keep that in mind that trading Flippula won't guarantee anything: it does not mean that Hossa will be signed. Trading Flippula for capspace would give to Holland more negotiating room and that is all.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

keep that in mind that trading Flippula won't guarantee anything: it does not mean that Hossa will be signed. Trading Flippula for capspace would give to Holland more negotiating room and that is all.

Hossa wants to be here. He wants to be a Wing very badly and all that's in the way is cap room. I assure you- the cap room here is absolutely critical. Dumping Filppula gives Holland a lot more room to sign the players he needs to.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Pretty sad realy when the entire LGW wants him traded. Fortunately the Detroit management know a thing or two about the game and about the development of players and therefore Filppula will remain a Wing next season and for the 4 after.

The Wings are hardly a team to cut someone after giving thema a 5 year deal the previous year. He's a Wings draftee, he bided his time in the AHL, he's been big in the playoffs and he's only 24. He's not going anywhere.

[Guest EZBAKETHAGANGSTA]

Does anyone else see something wrong with possibly letting Franzen walk being not able to pay him a 4 million contract when, his million plus Val's 3 million would keep him here?

I like Val but Franzen is a better player and I like him way better. In fact I think most people do perfer the Mule to Filp.

The Hockeynews blog online has suggested that we might even trade Franzen at the deadline to avoid losing him for nothing.

If we are even considering it, then we should instead move Filp and keep Franzen. He is bigger stronger and actually shoots the puck. We need a power foward more then another skilled puck moving forward.

Hell I would even rather keep Jiri for that role then Val.

I am not looking to lose him, I just think that if given the choice between Franzen and Val Fil, it is no contest.

I will be very sad to see Franzen in anything else then a winged wheel. Next year.

We WILL NOT TRADE Franzen at the deadline, even if we have no chance of resigning him, our goal is to win t he cup every year, a healthy franzen in the playoffs, showcasing his talents for possible buyers is more of a force than draft picks every year.

For your bolded part; WHO THE f*** WOUDLNT? Hudler will be a point per game player next year EASILY

Another rubbish thread.

Keep Flip, re-sign Franzen and Hudler.

Hossa walks. Pretty simple stuff I would've thought.

This

No team is going to trade for a 3 million dollar, under-performing player and not send salary the other way. I'd rather just keep Val in hopes he turns it around.

This, allthough if we can't keep Franzen anyways, I say trade him and try and re-up Hossa

Even Hudler - at Filppula's age, he put up 42 playings playing 12 minutes a night in a third line role. Even last season, you could see that Hudler had great offensive instincts and a great wrister. The fact that hes only built on that speaks to experience and further development on that raw talent. Which, in my mind, is the difference between Filppula and the other three. With Hudler, Datsyuk, and Zetterberg, you could see/can see the raw offensive talent that would come through as they developed and got used to the NHL game. Filppula has NEVER had that raw talent shining through. Filppula has never been a guy that game in and game out made it known that he had a wicked wrister, great stick-handling skills, or a penchant for finding the open man. Those are the type of tip-offs that come through in a players game no matter who they're playing with or on what line.lly, and hes know where to be on the man to man coverage. He also knows when to step up and when to use his speed. Hes shown that hes not afraid to go the net, and that his passing and shooting skills are good. But not great. And most importantly, hes offensive sense has never been there.

In short, offense is never going to come easy to Filppula.

As of now, I think a great comparison for the type of player Filppula is going to pan out to be is Michal Handzus. (Ironic, because as I say this, Handzus has 7G and 13A for 20 points in 47 games - eerily similar to Filppula). Handzus has always been a reliable guy. Hes always been a great PKer and a great defensive presence, and his offense has been decent, but its never been something he was known for. He could pull of a fancy move here and there, but his offensive production - from what I've seen of him over the years - has always come from the basic tap-ins, give and gos, and the occasional well-placed shot. Incredibly, Handzus' seasonal average point production in his full seasons has been an even 50 points, averaging about 21 goals. That seems about exactly on par with what Filppula will be giving you over his career, maybe a little more.

For the bolded part, Hudler was on the 4th line, not third, playing with the talented likes of Downey and Mccarty all season. Hudler is our most productive forward besides Datsyuk given his situational play, linemates, and toi.

Agreed, I made the Handzus compairson along witha Brendan Morrison comparison more than a year ago.

[stormboy 47]

These two statements really don't go together. A GM isn't really taking a risk on a guy that is getting paid 3M longterm to be, like you suggest, a 2nd line center. In 20 minutes a game, Flip is likely a safe bet to net 20 goals, 50 points. He just has to be on a team that is going to give him 20 minutes a game. On a team where our #1 center doesn't even get that, it wont happen here.

The player I was comparing Filppula too was making 2.1M a year just 3 seasons ago after proving to be a perennial 45-55 point guy. Most guys around Flips age and production aren't getting paid 3M a year, and thats excluding guys on entry level contracts.

i guess i don't understand how these two statements fit together. i was saying that as a second-line center, flip MIGHT produce 20G, 50P, but i don't know that, and neither does a GM who is risking paying him 3m a year for more than just the rest of this season if he trades for him. i agree--and as you stated--if he got 20 minutes a game with good wingers, he might just get 20G and 50P.

but then your second statement seems to suggest that even if filppula was a 20G 50P player, he wouldn't be worth 3 million. why, then, would you say that a GM *isn't* taking a risk by signing a three million dollar player that by your own admission shouldn't be worth three million dollars based on the performance of other players.

maybe i'm misunderstanding/missing something that you're saying. i've had a few...heha...so maybe i'm in the wrong here. but it seems like you're saying:

a) filppula, with a 3M contract and with proper ice time should get 20-30-50, which would not be a risk for a GM

b) all players who get 20-30-50 are not worth 3M a year.

help me out here.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

maybe i'm misunderstanding/missing something that you're saying. i've had a few...heha...so maybe i'm in the wrong here. but it seems like you're saying:

a) filppula, with a 3M contract and with proper ice time should get 20-30-50, which would not be a risk for a GM

b) all players who get 20-30-50 are not worth 3M a year.

help me out here.

a) Filppula, with a 3M contract and with 20 minutes a game (14ES, 3PP, 3SH), should get 20-30-50, which would not be a risk for a GM who clearly needs Filppula enough for him to be an integral two-way top sixer.

b) all players, who need 20 minutes per game to get 20-30-50 on the season, are not worth 3M a year.

Hope that clears things up for you.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

I like Flip ok, but he sure sucked today. And he looked lazy. And I don't want to see him traded.

Plenty of people were lazy and sucked yesterday, and I don't want to see them traded because I like my team.

Plenty of people on every team are lazy and suck at certain points in a long season.

[Mors 201]

I won't be sad if losing Filppula contributes to keeping Franzen and or Hudler/Hossa as they play the numbers game. Filppula just gets knocked around way too much, he's like a ragdoll.

[xBrave_Heartx 0]

Just because another team overpaid some guys doesn't mean Val is worth 3M.

Sullivan - Don't know why you included him unless you don't know who he is, because hes a bargain at 3M per. He signed his contract as a perennial 60+ point producer.

Sullivan has played 7 games so far in 2 years.. Yes i know who/what he 'was'.. He's another back injury away from being a cripple

[dallas27 7]

Pretty sad realy when the entire LGW wants him traded. Fortunately the Detroit management know a thing or two about the game and about the development of players and therefore Filppula will remain a Wing next season and for the 4 after.

So will Filppula be a better hockey player than Hossa or Franzen and Hudler?

The Wings are hardly a team to cut someone after giving thema a 5 year deal the previous year. He's a Wings draftee, he bided his time in the AHL, he's been big in the playoffs and he's only 24. He's not going anywhere.

That's the problem, they will be letting their loyalty get in the way. I don't see how it's not a no-brainer to trade an expensive role-player if it means either a top 10 forward / two way player in the league or two serious, serious offensive threats. Either option is better than Flippula.