Who will score more points next year?

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Fil was completely snakebit and just not himself in the first half of the season. That's not comparable to Datsyuk who played great the entire year and just had a stretch of a couple of months where he was the hottest player in the league. I don't know if Fil had a bad case of stanley cup hangover or what, but something was definitely 'off' in the way he played for much of the year.

I agree consistancy is key for Filppula. Like I said, if he was more consistant last year he could have gotten 50 points with ease. And if he can bring his performance from the playoffs over into next season, he could easily get 60 points. I don't care that 16 points in 23 games only makes for 57 points in 82 games statistically. Scoring in the playoffs is harder than it is in the regular season.

Fil's shot isn't the best, he needs to work on that. But I don't care how lousy your shot is, you still have to use it. Maybe he's never going to be a 30 goal guy, but we've seen hints of scoring talent in him that tells me he could get 20-25 goals if he just stops looking for the pass ALL THE TIME.

So I'm not the only guy who's yelled "SHOOT! SHOOT!" at the TV when Val's got the puck?

[egroen 384]

I actually voted Williams -- simply because he has done it before and it is pretty rare for players to pile on 20 points on top of their best in one season. It will be interesting to see how all these guys do, including Franzen, who is another player I would like to see get more consistent in the regular season - 40 goals should be doable for that guy.

[Selke13 0]

should be flip, but i voted leino

[egroen 384]

should be flip, but i voted leino

It will be really sad or really awesome if it is Leino -- meaning the other guys are very disappointing or Leino has a monster rookie season. Zetterberg scored 44 points his rookie year.

[dat's sick 1,002]

It will be really sad or really awesome if it is Leino -- meaning the other guys are very disappointing or Leino has a monster rookie season. Zetterberg scored 44 points his rookie year.

But Leino is older than Z was and he has a whole season in the AHL and a little bit of NHL experience under his belt. 44 points is very doable for him. He'll probably have more than that if he gets some time on the top 2 lines and/or PP time.

[Snazzy 0]

It will be really sad or really awesome if it is Leino -- meaning the other guys are very disappointing or Leino has a monster rookie season. Zetterberg scored 44 points his rookie year.

Don't forget the stacked roster Wings had in 2002/03.

Yzerman

Hull

Robitaille

Fedorov

Shanahan

Larionov

Datsyuk

Williams

Yet it is still hard to believe we got swept by the ducks in the first round that year.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Don't forget the stacked roster Wings had in 2002/03.

Yzerman

Hull

Robitaille

Fedorov

Shanahan

Larionov

Datsyuk

Williams

Yet it is still hard to believe we got swept by the ducks in the first round that year.

It really isnt, and at the same time it is. Giguere stopped absolutely everything, and everytime the Wings beat him, they hit the post or crossbar. CuJo wasnt even bad, yet still got swept.

[Bluedevils_13 0]

Dave Lewis.

My vote goes for Fil too. He could get 50 easily centering the second line.

Edited August 8, 2009 by Bluedevils_13

[rick zombo 3,739]

Don't count Cleary out yet. He's hit 20 goals both of the last season. With a good shot at seeing extended time on the top line playing Newfie-Holmstrom, Cleary should hit 25 goals and might even go as high as 30.

So Filpulla getting 60pts is a ridiculous stretch, but Cleary scoring 30 goals isn't?

Overzealous much?

[Buppy 1,720]

No he did. Filppula was 5th in forwards for even strength ice time per game. Sorry man- you have to be playing in the top six for a good chunk of the year for that to happen. The top two lines play at least 3 minutes a night more than the third. That adds up. And again, we're talking only even strength time.

...

EDIT: f*** it. If some of the people here want to believe Filppula's an elite offensive talent then so be it. I see him peaking as a 50-55pt guy ...

First, Flip did play a bit on the top lines, but the Wings top 3 lines split time pretty evenly. Hossa, as a full time top 6, had around the same ES time as Flip, and only about a minute more than Sammy. Remember, ES also includes 4 on 4, which guys like Homer, Happy, and Sammy didn't usually play. Homer was top 6 pretty much whenever he was playing, but still had less ES time/Game than Flip. Truth is, Cleary, Sammy, Happy, and Flip all spent time on the top lines, but none were 'regular' top 6 guys last year.

Secondly, 60 points is a long way from 'elite' and only just above your projected peak. Every year almost there are breakout players. Mule went from 38 points 2 years ago to 59 last year. Happy went from 42 to 57.

Flip had 19 goals two years ago, 40 points last year. A long playoff run, the offseason, training cap, and even the course of the season should all help him develop and improve. 60 points is probably a bit optimistic, but not nearly as far fetched as you're making it sound, assuming Flip does play a regular top 6 role and has no significant injuries.

[dallas27 7]

Haha, You watch every single game you say... Flip did not spend half the season playing on the second line last season and thats a fact. Flip accumulated alot of minutes penalty killing and his 3rd line got quite a bit of ice time. Babcock trusts Flip on the ice, hes one of our top defensive players. I really laugh at the fact you looked up stats and tried to clue together that the amount of ice time he got must been in result of 2nd line minutes. I played Juniors for 2 years i bet you played house league if at all. Anyone that knows anything about hockey knows Flips has alot of offensive talent. Alot of people on these forums haven't even played hockey in there lives and think they know hockey because they check stats on the internet daily. The only reason Flip even played on the 3rd line last year was because he was our best 3rd center on the roster. We had the depth to use such a valuable player on the 3rd line, which resulted in putting our 3rd line over the edge. It wasn't a big deal if our 3rd line got matched up against another teams 1st line. Thats why he played on the third line.

You wanna talk 07-08? Thats 2 seasons ago man. He has came along way last season. If you watch every game as you say which i find doubtful by some of the things you say. You would know last season despite Flips point production he has great offensive talent let alone the fact his defensive abilities our outstanding. Hes a great 2 way player.

Sorry if my post had some rambling and half ass wording im in a hurry right now. Oh and sorry if you take what i say defensively as thats not exactly what i intended.

I played Junior A as a goalie, including against Petr Sykora, does this make me more qualified than you? Judging by your brilliant logic it does, so listen carefully, as you may not argue because my vast hockey intelligence dwarfs yours.

Filpulla is a jack of all trades player, does nothing exceptional but does everything well. It's unfortunate for the Filpulla fan base that he scored the infamous "Bobby Orr" (I hate calling it that because it's not even close to being on the same level as Bobby Orr's goal, it won a Stanley Cup) goal, it gave them some warped sense that he is the second coming of Wayne Gretzky in terms of scoring when it's simply not the case. Filpulla has excellent hands but an offensive awareness that rivals that of the nimrods that can't win on Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader. Filpulla can only wish that he had Hudler's shot and offensive awareness; Hudler had 17 more points than Filpulla despite averaging nearly three minutes less atoi and he didn't even get 60 points.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Filpulla being a second line center who I'm pegging as a 40-50 point guy and one of our better defensive forwards, I'll gladly take that. He may have a career year where he gets close to or hits 60 points but if Hudler can't do it while playing a ton less than Filpulla and with worse linemates I'm doubting Filpulla can easily obtain it as so many people would lead you to believe.

[Buppy 1,720]

...Filpulla is a jack of all trades player, does nothing exceptional but does everything well. ...some warped sense that he is the second coming of Wayne Gretzky in terms of scoring when it's simply not the case. Filpulla has excellent hands but an offensive awareness that rivals that of the nimrods that can't win on Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader. Filpulla can only wish that he had Hudler's shot and offensive awareness; Hudler had 17 more points than Filpulla despite averaging nearly three minutes less atoi and he didn't even get 60 points.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Filpulla being a second line center who I'm pegging as a 40-50 point guy and one of our better defensive forwards, I'll gladly take that. He may have a career year where he gets close to or hits 60 points but if Hudler can't do it while playing a ton less than Filpulla and with worse linemates I'm doubting Filpulla can easily obtain it as so many people would lead you to believe.

Like I said in my last post, 60ish points is far from elite. How 'bout you Flip detractors try refuting something without the retarded exaggerations? No one expects him to lead the league or score 100 points. A few of us think he'll do marginally better than what you predict and you're acting like we've already built him a wing in the HHOF.

Babs and Holland both think he can be a 70+ point guy, Pav, Hank, Mule, Nick...all think he can be a very good offensive player. Teemu Selanne thinks he can be great. All of them certainly know a hell of a lot more than any of us.

Also, Happy did not play either 'a ton less' or with significantly 'worse linemates'.

Flip: 13:30 minutes ES, 0:45 minutes PP, 2 minutes SH.

Happy: 11 minutes ES, 3 minutes PP

Considering the advantages of the PP, and the disavantages of being SH, I'd say Hudler's +2:15 on the PP amounts to more offensive advantage than Flip's +2:30 ES and +2 SH time.

As for linemates, both Flip and Happy spent time on the top lines, probably close to even. They played together on the 3rd line. Advantage to Flip there since Happy was a bit better last year. Then Hudler played on the PP with Hank & Mule, and often Nick & Rafi...and you can't build a much better PP unit. I'd say that is a larger offensive advantage than Flip gets from having Hudler on his wing.

Hudler is far from a great offensive player himself. He has a very good shot and he works hard, that's about it. Hudler would often shoot when he should have passed and made many poor or ill advised passes. 'Awareness' is pretty close, with Flip having a bit better ice vision, and Happy a bit better shot/pass selection. Both move pretty well without the puck. Hudler more likely to go to the net. Flip a much better puck handler. Hudler too often tries centering passes that have no chance, Flip too often throws the puck back to the points. Both could be a lot better in the corners.

All in all I'd say they are fairly equal, with Happy being more developed and more of a goal scorer, with Flip more of a passer. Both likely career mid-tier, 50-70 point players. Hudler not getting 60 points last year doesn't mean he can't, and certainly doesn't mean Flip can't.

[BeeRYCE 2]

I think Leino will do the best personally.

[MadMan Mark 0]

I think Filp, especially if he'spaired with Franzen. Get Franzen to set up in front of the goalie a la Holmer, and Filp gets the screened goal or the deflected assist, provided he shoots more this year.