Official "I was wrong on Filppula" Thread

[RedWingAbner 13]

God did we ever spend a lot of time arguing about this

I don't remember anything like that.

[Broken 16 381]

The line looks great. They will give Phoenix fits if they can keep flyin. Flip was flying last night. Can't wait to see that line on good ice.

[titanium2 867]

The line looks great. They will give Phoenix fits if they can keep flyin. Flip was flying last night. Can't wait to see that line on good ice.

Yup. A good way to see whether or not they're playing well is if they're skating hard. I think that's a really big thing for that line.

[RockyMountainWingGal 108]

I love Fil - he is one of my favorite Wings right now. Yes I've spent quite a bit of time defending him the last few years so I'm glad people are starting to warm up to him. He's been nothing but solid in the playoffs for the past 3 years.

The Avs fans here (those that pay attention)were drooling over catching him as an RFA last year so glad that didn't happen. He's young too so I think he will get better.

Go Flip! Go Wings!

[titanium2 867]

On Zetterberg's EN goal, Filppula was all over that puck like a starving man on a Christmas Joulukinkku.

[Carman 387]

Flippula has been great so far in the playoffs. Hopefully can continue playing up to this level for a long time. Really like him trying to shoot more.

Edited April 24, 2010 by Carman

[titanium2 867]

Fil had slightly more TOI than Pav. Then again Pav doesn't play on the PK if everybody's healthy.

[Z and D for the C 712]

Fil had slightly more TOI than Pav. Then again Pav doesn't play on the PK if everybody's healthy.

He's been leading the team in ice time quite a bit lately. Not sure about the playoffs so far but since had his 8 points in 3 games he got a lot of ice time.

[titanium2 867]

He's been leading the team in ice time quite a bit lately. Not sure about the playoffs so far but since had his 8 points in 3 games he got a lot of ice time.

I'm not exactly sure how to explain the way he plays is so different during the playoffs than the regular season. Maybe his style of play is better suited for playoff hockey. He plays a fairly simple game. In the regular season maybe he just has too much time with the puck and so he wants to overthink what to do with it.

[Joseph Franks 17]

Never did quite figure out why people were talking crap about Fil in the first place.

Aside from the fact that everyone is fickle, and only sees the worst in a player when things aren't going great.

For example. Goalie makes 30 saves. Lets one in. It loses the game. You'll always remember that one goal, more than the other 30 saves.

Filppula has always played the way he is playing now. It's just that...he's getting a lot better with it. He's making smarter decisions on when to shoot and when to pass. He's playing a bit more physical.

A players skill, and how a player is "doing at the moment" are not always the same thing. But skillwise, Filppula this year looks the same as Filppula last year. He's just getting that experience under his belt, and working his way out of Rookie-hood. I'm not surprised at all by his success. You could almost tell from the moment of his first game that "one day" he was going to make a statement out there.

[Nev 1,085]

I'm not exactly sure how to explain the way he plays is so different during the playoffs than the regular season. Maybe his style of play is better suited for playoff hockey. He plays a fairly simple game. In the regular season maybe he just has too much time with the puck and so he wants to overthink what to do with it.

I actually think that's a great point. Case in point there was a goal he scored after he came back from his broken wrist (maybe LA at home?) where Cleary made a great play on the half boards and found Flip wide open in the slot. He had so much space it was like time stood still as he dithered on the puck. Instead of shooting the damn puck like he should, he waited and waited for another wing to come open so he could pass to him. In the end he was on top of the goalie and was left with no choice but to make a nice move and put the puck in the net.

The need to able to skate fast and hard are also magnified in the playoffs, and they have always been Filpulla strengths.

[titanium2 867]

I actually think that's a great point. Case in point there was a goal he scored after he came back from his broken wrist (maybe LA at home?) where Cleary made a great play on the half boards and found Flip wide open in the slot. He had so much space it was like time stood still as he dithered on the puck. Instead of shooting the damn puck like he should, he waited and waited for another wing to come open so he could pass to him. In the end he was on top of the goalie and was left with no choice but to make a nice move and put the puck in the net.

The need to able to skate fast and hard are also magnified in the playoffs, and they have always been Filpulla strengths.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHzcdTZq5kM

[SuperCalaFilppulastic! 34]

Fil has been ridiculous this series. He looks like a superstar out there with all that confidence.

[Z and D for the C 712]

A players skill, and how a player is "doing at the moment" are not always the same thing. But skillwise, Filppula this year looks the same as Filppula last year. He's just getting that experience under his belt, and working his way out of Rookie-hood. I'm not surprised at all by his success. You could almost tell from the moment of his first game that "one day" he was going to make a statement out there.

I've been saying this all along and I agree 100%.

And that last sentence is exactly why I like Flip so much. From his first season here I would watch him play and I saw so much out of him. He reminded me of Datsyuk the way he played and I've always thought he could be a great player.

[Guest EZBAKETHAGANGSTA]

A players skill, and how a player is "doing at the moment" are not always the same thing. But skillwise, Filppula this year looks the same as Filppula last year. He's just getting that experience under his belt, and working his way out of Rookie-hood. I'm not surprised at all by his success. You could almost tell from the moment of his first game that "one day" he was going to make a statement out there.

This. I for one am ecstatic he is finally playing up to his current potential, as that was always one of my main gripes about him. He'd have so much evidenced talent, but for me it just seems like he was waiting for something or lacked faith in his ability, a really similar feeling I got with Feds during some of his down years. Hats off to him finally being able to put it together, although I still stick by my statement where I said I think he ceiling is a few All-Star Seasons and a great 65-70 point second line center whose great defensivily, like an upgraded Brendan Morisson.

[Guest EZBAKETHAGANGSTA]

Just out of curiosity, does anyone have Flip's Ice Time for the 2nd period? I didn't notice him very much if at all, which is strange as I think in the 1st he was by far the best player on either side of the Ice.

[Z and D for the C 712]

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/TH030186.HTM

Very weird. Almost 8 minutes in the first and only 3:17 in the second. Maybe Babcock thought he over played him in the first and wanted to give him a rest.

The entire second line didn't get much ice time in the second actually.

Edited April 25, 2010 by Z and D for the C

[Guest EZBAKETHAGANGSTA]

http://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20092010/TH030186.HTM

Very weird. Almost 8 minutes in the first and only 3:17 in the second. Maybe Babcock thought he over played him in the first and wanted to give him a rest.

The entire second line didn't get much ice time in the second actually.

Very strange, lets hope he's not injured. At first I thought I was going crazy.

[titanium2 867]

Very strange, lets hope he's not injured. At first I thought I was going crazy.

Didn't the Wings have to kill a lot of penalties? Maybe that's why.

[Guest EZBAKETHAGANGSTA]

Didn't the Wings have to kill a lot of penalties? Maybe that's why.

Yeah, iirc 3 of them, but even then that still seams low.

[tinistien 1]

fils been playing very good through this whole series so far, heres hoping it continues

[titanium2 867]

[Guest mjtm77]

i think we should put franson with Z and Filp take bert off that line