Leino's Potential

[Guest EZBAKETHAGANGSTA]

That was a few years ago, can you remember one game this season, or last season, where he totally fumbled the puck and lost Detroit the game? He's a different player now, and he does kill penalties.

I would take Hudler or Sammy rather then Flipulla any day. Flipulla is worthless. Really, theirs a chance Hudler and Sammy could re-sign for Flipulla's total cap hit. Either way, Sammy and Hudler right now are more effective hockey players. You can't wait forever for someone to get good.

I think the same people who think Flipulla will be a star one day are the same delusional people who think Osgood will come around and win us another Cup. The problem Detroit has is, this team is a lot better then last years team, and anything other then a Cup will be a disaster. Well, Boston and San Jose both have much better goalies, much better D-lines.

Honestly right now, if it was Columbus vs Detroit in the first round, with Ozzy starting, I'd bet every cent I have on Columbus. One good goalie will knock the Wings right out.

Game 5 SCF's last year.

Re Bolded: Boston is getting outshot on average, and Tim Thomas has never EVER made it past the first round... EVER. He's playing good, but I for one do not expect the Bruins to make a significant run in the Playoffs. The Sharks will come up short again, Nabokov is the most overated goalie in the leauge, and I can see them faltering vs a fast young team in the first round.

For the last part, about you betting everything on Columbus, If that really is true than I don't know what to say other than, it's probably not a lot your betting with, because stupid people in general don't make a lot of money.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Because he stinks. IF he doesn't have some sort of injury he really stinks. He comes into the zone and either loses the puck or try's to pass when he should have shot. He traps our players down low and I been bitching about it every game. I'd be pleased to dump him and keep the Fin that is productive. Leino has out done Flip, easily. He will go to the net Flip just skates in circles and gets himself into places in the ice he can't get out of. If he could just control the puck and stop handing it over to the other team it would be a different story.

I've been one of, if not the biggest advocate to get rid of Filppula. But he does not "stink." He also does not have "zero trade value." Hes a great player who would be worth his $3M on a team that could utilize him to the max. Filppula, on a bottom 10 team, could spend 3+ minutes on the PK per game, 3+ minutes on the PP per game, and 15 minutes at ES per game. He just needs to be in the right position.

Take a look at Quincey - he went to a team who had a very young defense, and was lacking in offensively capable Dmen, particularly with Johnson being out. He came in, and where he would've been a 7th Dman here, he's a #2 Dman in LA, and will likely remain a Top 3 Dman upon Johnson's return, in terms of ice time. In Detroit, he wouldn't be worth 1M bucks, but in LA, hes worth over 3M.

Now, take a look at a team like Atlanta. Todd White is their "top" center. He plays almost 4 minutes on the PP, with Kovalchuk, and he sees 18 minutes a game, but only plays 1 minute on the PK. In Atlanta, Filppula would likely see that same 3+ minutes of PP per game, but he'd see more than the 13 minutes of ES time that White does, and he'd probably see 3+ minutes of PK time per game. Considering he'd be Atlantas "most complete" forward, he'd likely see 20-23 minutes of ice time per game, all things considered - about 7 minutes split between the special teams, and about 14-17 minutes at ES. Is that worth 3M? You're damn right it is. With that kind of time, he'd easily put up 50+ points on the year, while being their #1 defensive forward. Its also the reason the Wings don't need him - he is far from our most complete player, not a top 3 defensive forward on our team, and at most, he could hope for about 2 minutes of PP time per game and 18 minutes overall. At most.

Now, take a look at NYI. Their leading forwards in ice time are freaking Guerin, Weight, and Park - 2 over the hill vets and a guy that only has a job if hes playing for a bottom feeder. Their leading scorer has 38 points - Mark Streit - and their leading forward has 35 points, despite playing 4+ minutes on the PP. Their most complete player is Trent Hunter and even he only plays 1 minute on the PK with over 3.5 on the PP. How many points to his name this season? 31. On the Isles, Filppula is the #1 Pker (their #1 Pker plays 3 minutes a game), and if he isnt on the 1st unit on the PP, hes the #1 man on the 2nd unit - which, on the Islanders, means 3 minutes of PP time a game. In all, again, he'd be likely to see 20 minutes per game overall. Worth 3M? Absolutely.

Look at Colorado - they only have 4 forwards who have over 30 points. Their PK is 26th. They're spending over 2M on Svatos - a very incomplete forward who plays 0 on the PK, and over 2M on Tucker - both guys who they've been looking to move at the deadline, despite having a year left on their contracts. To round out their forward depth, they have the great Tyler Arnason. 5 of their forwards see 18+ minutes a game - one of which is the "likely to retire" Joe Sakic - meaning Filppula would have a chance at 18+ minuts a game. Their faceoff % ranks 22nd in the league, and is bound to get worse with Sakic's departure. They're using guys like Stastny, Wolski, and Hejduk on the PK. When Sakic leaves, their options at the 2nd line center position are Laperriere, Hensick, and McCormick. Is a forward that is better defensively than all their current forwards, who would also get a shot at the 2nd line center position, would help them on the PK and in the faceoff circle, and would likely see at least 2.5 minutes on the PP be worth 3M? Absolutely.

You can't just assume that just because a player doesn't fit in on one team, and thus doesn't earn his paycheck, that he wouldn't be a great fit on another team. Antoine Vermette anyone? Hes making nearly the same amount as Filppula is, a year older, and only has 21 points, and yet he is still being sought after by various teams according to rumors on Spector and the like. The guy has value. So does Filppula. You just have to find the team that could use them. Its a simple formula. A team that has Tomas Holmstrom would not value a 6M Ryan Smyth very highly. But that doesn't mean the same can be said for a team that has no net front presence to speak of and a terrible PP. Its the same case with Filppula. If Holland can find the right team for him - in my opinion, Atlanta would be ideal - he could get great value for him.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Game 5 SCF's last year.

Re Bolded: Boston is getting outshot on average, and Tim Thomas has never EVER made it past the first round... EVER. He's playing good, but I for one do not expect the Bruins to make a significant run in the Playoffs. The Sharks will come up short again, Nabokov is the most overated goalie in the leauge, and I can see them faltering vs a fast young team in the first round.

For the last part, about you betting everything on Columbus, If that really is true than I don't know what to say other than, it's probably not a lot your betting with, because stupid people in general don't make a lot of money.

I agree with Boston, but for different reasons. Typically teams that rely heavily on inexperienced forwards in terms of the playoffs - Kessel, Krejci, Wideman, and Lucic - need a year or two before they really understand the implications of playoff hockey.

But San Jose is different. I agree that Nabokov is overrated, but hes playing as well as they need him to. As we've seen in Detroit, playoff victories can just as easily come from a full team effort than from a goalie stealing the show. San Jose is also different in Boston in that they're main players have had their playoff hopes squashed plenty of times to know that they have to find that "extra gear" if they really want to compete. They're hungry and they're experienced. The combination could be deadly. The adage that the Sharks will choke just as they have in the past is nothing more than a mode of reassurance for opposing fans. Its the same as the "they won't make it past the 2nd round" maxim that Wings fans dealt with from 2003-2007. Its the composite version of calling Pavel Datsuyk a playoff ghost. You're only a ghost until you arent anymore. You're only a choker until you arent anymore. Keep giving the Sharks chances, and they'll eventually take advantage of it.

[Zedd 0]

Hi everybody, happy to join !

I heared K. Holland talking about Filp some time ago and i really dont believe he's gonna trade him.

He mentionned how the staff of Wings are trying to learn to Filp how to be a great all-around player like dats and Zetterberg.

Holland gived me the feeling that he will keep Filp for a long time in the team.

And by the way Leino impressed me !

(sorry for my english... )

[Blueliner 69]

Filppula is a $3 mil/yr cap hit player who currently has 6-21-27 totals just months after signing a 5-year extension. Come on now....6 goals for $3 mil/yr.

he's got the Igor Larionov tendency of not wanting to shoot the puck (81 shots all year in 08/09).

The Canucks are currently paying someone that has fewer than ten career points $6.75 million a year. This guy is putting up 0 goals for $6.75 mil/year. By your logic that sound pretty outrageous. But this player is one of the best in the league at playing his certain role. He's not suppose to score goals every night. Because he is so good at playing his role, his team wins a lot more games than they should. Think about it.

Btw, that Larionov guy you're talking about is in the Hall of Fame.

[Winged_Wheeler 3]

I love how people still think Filppula is leaving. It's like saying I'll trade Zetterberg (at the point where Filppula is in his career right now). Filppula looks almost identical to the style of Datsyuk's and Zetterberg's play. If anyone we would have to trade it would be Samuelsson or Lebda.

Hossa is staying, Franzen is staying, Filppula is staying, Hudler could stay or go, Samuelsson gone, Lebda questionable.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

I hope his future with Detroit is lengthy and I have liked his stuff this stretch of games.

However everybody, I don't care how good/marginal you might be, is going to go through a dry streak with goals or points. It will happen with Leino at some time.

And people in here are predictably fickle that at some point in time they'll want Leino traded or his head barbequed on a grill as well if/when he goes through a dry stretch, like many other players on here at some point in time.