NHL'S Top 10 most likely breakout players

[Guest EZBAKETHAGANGSTA]

I just think you are too damn full of yourself to see your expectations are skewed. Ur a condescending knowitall Drake.

He`s sixth among forwards in ice time and ends up sixth among forwards in points. Well holy f***. And he played about as much on the powerplay as Kopy for f***s sake. That right there will kill point totals to the point where no one should ***** about 40. Also let us not forget he killed penalties more often than Pavel Datstuk and was right up there with Hank and Drapes. Hell, more time than Hank. And look at his linemates. So lets sum this up. He is a young kid who arguably is just coming into his own, trying to play defense while even strenth, never sees the power play, while trying to score at the same time, while spending almsot two of those sixteen minutes on the PK...with no consistent linemates. Im not sure what the hell you were expecting. 40 points is about indicative only of his circumstances and considering, he did pretty well actually. No wonder the guy blew up in the playoffs like he did.

Not all players are Pavel Datsyuk and can score and play defense simultaneously. Well s***, no one else is Pavs. Who else gets Selke nods while also being up for the Hart? Playing too much D even hurt Hank's totals this season. Fact is more often than not it'll hurt a player. Far more players will have lower point totals while being asked to play D than players who won`t. Look no further than our own beloved Steve Yzerman whoj still scored well but we could all see how it lowered his totals.

You`re pissing on him for not being able to score more than 40 points while playing D but are treating him like someone who is only able to score 40 anyway and it`s contradictory. Maybe if he played a Crosby or Ovechkin style of nothing but offense, he`d score 60 and I`m not sure many people would be complaining then. Fil is so quietly valuable to this team and so underappreciated. Just a shame around here when we get bored, we take sides rather than be objective. Which is funny, considering we are all so damn obsessed with not appearing biased that we dont even truly speak our minds.

You're missing the point and comming off as a hypocrtie.

I expect Filppula to one day without a doubt be one of the best second line fixtures in the league. I don't know - Is that unrealistic?

Not at all. From his rookie season on, I always pegged Fil as a slightly better version of Brendan Morrison (in his prime). Capable Defensive 2nd line pivot who has the ability to jump on the first line for a few games a year. That is his max output though. I expect next season he should hit 55, and then hover around 60-65 for the rest of his carrear.

[P. Marlowe 748]

I just came up with this website: NHLFinns.com

There's a nice picture on the front page. I bet most Wings fans remember that play.

[titanium2 867]

I just came up with this website: NHLFinns.com

There's a nice picture on the front page. I bet most Wings fans remember that play.

"...Oh ok I got it. I got it. s***, I lost it."

One guess as to where that movie line came from.

Oh, and I think it's safe to say that all Wings fans remember it. At the moment I can't think of any other goals besides DMac's on Hextall along with maybe one or two others that were more impressive during the playoffs let alone finals. If you don't know that goal then are you really a Wings fan?

[P. Marlowe 748]

"...Oh ok I got it. I got it. s***, I lost it."

One guess as to where that movie line came from.

Oh, and I think it's safe to say that all Wings fans remember it. At the moment I can't think of any other goals besides DMac's on Hextall along with maybe one or two others that were more impressive during the playoffs let alone finals. If you don't know that goal then are you really a Wings fan?

Oh, come on. I is never we. Only yesterday someone here wrote that most Wings fans want Chris Chelios to take Brad McCrimmon's job.

[Guest EZBAKETHAGANGSTA]

Filppula is very valuable - and there is definitely a good chance he continues to improve, but it seems many just have unrealistic expactations of him. We see "sparks of brilliance" from him, sure - just like we would see sparks of brilliance from anyone who makes it to the NHL, but we were seeing "sparks of brilliance" out of Zetterberg and Datsyuk every single shift at that age.

Brett Hull announced to the media that Datsyuk would one day be the best player in the league Datsyuk's rookie year.

Lidstrom called Zetterberg the "next Yzerman" before he ever arrived to the NHL.

I'm fairly certain Lidstrom Called Zetterberg the next "Forsberg" not Yzerman.

[Peleshob 0]

Filppula is going to get 50+ points this season... that's realistic. Plus, I'm psychic.

-Mind Freak

[titanium2 867]

I'm fairly certain Lidstrom Called Zetterberg the next "Forsberg" not Yzerman.

No it's Yzerman. I have the article in print form. They were car shopping and Lidstrom introduced Zetterberg to a salesman as the next Yzerman.

[NGKEIB 32]

"...Oh ok I got it. I got it. s***, I lost it."

One guess as to where that movie line came from.

Oh, and I think it's safe to say that all Wings fans remember it. At the moment I can't think of any other goals besides DMac's on Hextall along with maybe one or two others that were more impressive during the playoffs let alone finals. If you don't know that goal then are you really a Wings fan?

Another famous Finn was involved in an potentially game-changing turn of events in the 98 finals. Can you name him?

[Drake_Marcus 890]

DING DING DING DING DING DING DING!!!!!!!!!!

Nah, actually, just kidding. Didn't you get the memo? If you don't think all our guys are Hart-trophy candidates and we are on pace to sweep the Cup every year, then you're just a reckless, idiotic pessimist spewing negativity.

Crazy, eh? Realistic expectations misconstrued as pessimism.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

No it's Yzerman. I have the article in print form. They were car shopping and Lidstrom introduced Zetterberg to a salesman as the next Yzerman.

I wonder if it got Z the discount...

[titanium2 867]

Another famous Finn was involved in an potentially game-changing turn of events in the 98 finals. Can you name him?

Haha. Esa Tikkanen right? What a moron. Although, they said that at practice the next day the coaches staged the same scene and had every single player try to score from the same angle and apparently most of them missed. Either it was really that difficult or that Washington team just plain sucked.

[titanium2 867]

I wonder if it got Z the discount...

Found it. It's a great article actually.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dw...er.32ae422.html

By CHUCK CARLTON / The Dallas Morning News

ccarlton@dallasnews.com

DETROIT – Before Henrik Zetterberg ever played an NHL game for the Detroit Red Wings, new teammate Nicklas Lidstrom took his Swedish countryman American car shopping.

At the dealership, Lidstrom introduced Zetterberg as the "next Steve Yzerman." Zetterberg, a seventh-round pick who was supposedly too small, thought it was a joke.

Lidstrom was serious, then and now.

[Snazzy 0]

While Wings fan ***** about Filppula, there's probably 29 other teams that would welcome him with open arms. I'm sure glad Flip wears the Wing'd wheel!

[tommingthepuck96 1]

Found it. It's a great article actually.

Any quote on lidstrom calling datsyuk in his rookie year the best stick handler he has ever seen?

Although i dont agree that to be a star on the red wings, you have to have been noticed by the best defencmen in the game your rookie year, although obviously it helps. No one expected franzen to be a 30, or even 20 goal scorer, now hes expected to be on pace for 40 goals next season. I dont think filppula is going to be the next datsyuk, but i dont see how people can shoot down the possibility of him breaking 65-70 points in an 82 game season as a second line center.. 25 goals 40ish assists isn't to much of a longshot, especially if he has a pure goal scorer like franzen playing on his wing the whole year.

[titanium2 867]

Any quote on lidstrom calling datsyuk in his rookie year the best stick handler he has ever seen?

Not Lidstrom, but this one is great: "I still say he's the smartest player I've ever played with," Brett Hull said. "Pavel sees the game as well as any of the elite players in this League." ( Link )

And Hull played with Gretzky.

[Guest EZBAKETHAGANGSTA]

Found it. It's a great article actually.

Hah, nice read. I was thinking of another article about when Lidstrom first introduced Z to the lockeroom in training camp.

[Peleshob 0]

Hell, I'll be happy if Filppula turns into the next "Mikko Koivu" let alone Tikkanen or Kurri. I'm not expecting the world out of Flip, but I do think those flashes of brilliance are more potential than they are luck. I think he's progressively gotten smarter with what he does with the puck after he's carried it.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Found it. It's a great article actually.

Thanks for the link. I enjoyed the article.

[P. Marlowe 748]

Haha. Esa Tikkanen right? What a moron. Although, they said that at practice the next day the coaches staged the same scene and had every single player try to score from the same angle and apparently most of them missed. Either it was really that difficult or that Washington team just plain sucked.

That was one weird team. Tikkanen, Dale Hunter, Craig Berube and Chris Simon.

[kook_10 1,705]

i think he's already got the work ethic and the skating ability. he has also proven to be very coachable as evidenced by his great defensive positioning. with some work in the offensive zone and some help on the 2nd line, the boys should be able to bounce the first 15 goals off his shins before he figures out how to do it on his own. they just have to get him to stop curling up along the half boards and get in the play.

[Z and D for the C 712]

I've consistently rated Filppula as a 2nd line centre who plays a strong all-around game. Go find me a scouting report that disagrees with me and sides with your speculation that he has 70pt potential (and thus is capable of being a 1st line centre who scores at a near point per game pace). 39 forwards scored 70 or more points last season. And you think Filppula's offensively talented to be one of those guys? Only 17 centres scored 70 or more points last season. You think Filppula's good enough to be one of the top 20 centres in the league!?! The 30th centre in scoring put 57 pts up, far below your expectations for Filppula this season. Thus we see that you believe Filppula will walk in this season and be good enough to be a #1 centre. Oh, and guess who tied for 30th place in centres? Hudler.

I said 70 points eventually, I think he'll get around 55 points this season. But some people think even that is unrealistic, which itself is thoroughly unrealistic.

Here is some fun stats for you though. In even strength scoring, Filppula is the 34th ranked center. And OMG get this, he is ranked 35th in even strength TOI! Not tenth, not 15th or 20th, 35th. One lower than he "should be" given his even strength scoring. And since so many people here knock Filppula for having such a small "point per minute" number, this should speak for itself.

My point: If Filppula got as much PP time as Hudler, he'd have more points than him at the end of the season.

[gcom007 1,465]

While Wings fan ***** about Filppula, there's probably 29 other teams that would welcome him with open arms. I'm sure glad Flip wears the Wing'd wheel!

I know you struggle with reading comprehension, but to be clear, there's a major difference between "bitching" and an unwillingness to throw out unrealistic expectations. I think many of us who aren't expecting Flip to be Dats still really like the guy and are happy to have him on the team. But while we'd love to be surprised, we don't expect him to be a star. But we're quite happy and satisfied with that. He's a solid player and it's great to have guys like him around.

[gcom007 1,465]

I said 70 points eventually, I think he'll get around 55 points this season. But some people think even that is unrealistic, which itself is thoroughly unrealistic.

Here is some fun stats for you though. In even strength scoring, Filppula is the 34th ranked center. And OMG get this, he is ranked 35th in even strength TOI! Not tenth, not 15th or 20th, 35th. One lower than he "should be" given his even strength scoring. And since so many people here knock Filppula for having such a small "point per minute" number, this should speak for itself.

My point: If Filppula got as much PP time as Hudler, he'd have more points than him at the end of the season.

Stats don't tell the whole story. There's more room for fancy hands to come into play on a power play because you have more room to work. Hudler has better hands than Flip. That's why he scores more on the power play, bottom line. Many people have pointed out again and again that Flip has not been effective with his power play time. He's been given more than some seem to think and again, he hasn't done much with it. Hudler has done far more with it because he has better hands, and thus, coaching gives more time to him.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

I said 70 points eventually, I think he'll get around 55 points this season. But some people think even that is unrealistic, which itself is thoroughly unrealistic.

Here is some fun stats for you though. In even strength scoring, Filppula is the 34th ranked center. And OMG get this, he is ranked 35th in even strength TOI! Not tenth, not 15th or 20th, 35th. One lower than he "should be" given his even strength scoring. And since so many people here knock Filppula for having such a small "point per minute" number, this should speak for itself.

My point: If Filppula got as much PP time as Hudler, he'd have more points than him at the end of the season.

How many more minutes do you think Filppula will get? He played one less minute a game last year than Hossa did. And Filppula is weak on the PP-- he already gets a minute of PP time a game and doesn't do enough with it. If he did he'd play more PP time-- Babcock f***in' loves him, there's no way Filppula is some magic undiscovered offensive gem. Go read scouting reports man. I've said it a thousand times- he's an all-around 2nd line centre that provides a polished game in all areas without being a star. All the evidence agrees with me.

70pts in the NHL is phenomenal production. Less than 2 players a team will score 70 points a year. Filppula's not that offensively gifted. He's not one of the top 40 offensive players in the game, sorry. At the same stage in their development, with 3 less minutes of ice time Hudler's cracked the top 30 centres in the game list by getting 57 pts. Filppula will be lucky to hit that mark with the help of his team mates. Hudler did it fully on his own skill. Hudler consistently played with inferior linemates and still managed to rack up the points. 55 points for Filppula next year is far more realistic, and definitely achievable if he stays on the 2nd line all year and manages to get 2 mins of consistent PP time (which he'll have to earn by actually producing on the PP).

As for the bolded part... Considering Hudler's a superior offensive player compared to Filppula, that's just foolish. Filppula's inferior in every offensive aspect to Hudler, but he's superior in every other aspect (skating, face-offs, 'grit', defense... etc).

People need to stop painting Filppula in such an unrealisistic light. If he scores a bunch of points and puts up 70+ pts it will be a pleasant surprise, not an inevitability that a select few members of LGW saw and NHL scouts didn't.

[Z and D for the C 712]

So show me the scouting reports Ken Holland saw regarding Filppula that you seem to know so much about.

Last year I agree that Hudler was better on the PP, but in the playoffs Hudler got (more than) double the PP ice time and exactly double the PP points as Filppula.

You do realize that players get better over time right? At the end of his contract Filppula is going to be a steal.

And how is what you bolded foolish? Filpulla gets more ES scoring than Hudler, and in the playoffs last year their PP point/minute ratio was nearly identical. Same PP totals and Flip outproducing at ES equalss Flip has more points. http://www.google.com/#hl=en&safe=off&...;fp=vadHe-UdmfQ

Filppula's development was stunted by the addition of Hossa, this is fact. It's not just about TOI which you stat hounds seem to drool over, it the role on the team.

Anyway I'm done arguing this. I'll let the season speak for itself at this point, I'll be sure to bring this up again when Filppula surprises the best minds here.

Edited August 1, 2009 by Z and D for the C