Filppula

[Guest Heaten]

Granted I don't get to see all the Detroit games, so maybe I'm off, but it seems like Flip might be one of those players where you're constantly saying this:

The kind of guy whom you're always waiting for to take it to that next level, but he just never does. Which wouldn't be a terrible thing in his case, since he's already a very good player. But maybe the production will never match his potential.

Nah. Filppula's [lack of] production isn't from "not taking it to the next level", it's from unfortunate fluke injuries at weird times. The last two or three years Flip was tearing it up and dominating like nobody's business... then he'll get hit/boarded by another player, falls in a way that makes him land on his wrist to fracture it.

Filppula just needs to stay healthy and he'll produce.

[hatrickswayze 0]

Nah. Filppula's [lack of] production isn't from "not taking it to the next level", it's from unfortunate fluke injuries at weird times. The last two or three years Flip was tearing it up and dominating like nobody's business... then he'll get hit/boarded by another player, falls in a way that makes him land on his wrist to fracture it.

Filppula just needs to stay healthy and he'll produce.

does it seem like last season's output was a factor of him playing through injuries/with less-skilled linemates?

[Z and D for the C 712]

does it seem like last season's output was a factor of him playing through injuries/with less-skilled linemates?

It's not that he was playing with less skilled teammates a lot, but simply players who were lazy. In 09-10 when he was out for 26 games or whatever it was, he had one of his best string of games playing with 3rd and 4th liners, but they worked hard.

[Buppy 1,720]

Why do you feel this way?

We've got 4 of our top 6 locked up long term, 10 mil in cap space right now, and 4 more opening up with the departure of Bertuzzi/Holmstrom. Sure, we've got Lidstrom/Helm/Kronwall to resign, but this shouldn't chew up 20 million. I don't want to see Huds or Filps on the top two lines. They are third line players. The problem with all the Huds/Filps bashing lies in the fact that people seem to think they are 1st liners.

Why can't we grab 2 UFA's for 4-5 mil a piece in the off season? Say Boyes and Grabovski.

As it stands we have around $28.5M in cap space next year (using this year's cap number) with Nick, Kronwall, Stuart, Commodore, Bert, Homer, Hudler, Abby, Helm, and Conklin to re-sign or replace. $10M or so to re-sign Kronwall and Stuart, $4M for Helm and Abby, $3M for Hudler, add Smith and backup goalie for $1.5 and that leaves $10M. You are not going to add two top-6 forwards and either Nick or top-4 d-man for that.

[Scott Stevens 44]

I can't for the life of me understand why you think Flip is no more than a 3rd line center... His point production is right at the end of 2nd line players but he missed 11 games last season. He's got as good of a defensive mind as any 2nd line player.

That being said, I have been as disappointed with his production as anyone. He's got the skills to produce more, he just needs the 'shoot more' mindset. This year he seems to have it. He's much more aggressive, he's shooting more, and he's in really good positions for rebounds. He was one of our top (if not our top?) point producer in the pre-season (yes I know that means nothing, but it's at least proof that he can score). People who say he's not a 2nd line player seem to be looking at what's expected out of him instead of what he's producing. If he's not producing what people expect, he's apparently a bad player (I don't get it...)

On any other team, Flip is A LOT more than a third line center. On the Wings, he is a third line center. He is NOT better than Datsyuk, and he is not better than Zetterberg. Filppula is AWESOME, imo. I just don't think he's a Euro Triplet yet!!!

[Scott Stevens 44]

As it stands we have around $28.5M in cap space next year (using this year's cap number) with Nick, Kronwall, Stuart, Commodore, Bert, Homer, Hudler, Abby, Helm, and Conklin to re-sign or replace. $10M or so to re-sign Kronwall and Stuart, $4M for Helm and Abby, $3M for Hudler, add Smith and backup goalie for $1.5 and that leaves $10M. You are not going to add two top-6 forwards and either Nick or top-4 d-man for that.

Lidstrom - 5.5 mil

Kronwall - 5.5 mil

Stuart - SIONARA

Commodore - SIONARA

Bertuzzi - SIONARA

Holmstrom - SIONARA

Hudler - SIONARA

Abdelkader - 1.5 mil

Helm - 2 mil

Conklin - 1 mil

Franzen - Zetterberg - Boyes

Cleary - Datsyuk - Grabovski

Mursak - Filppula - Tatar

Abdelkader - Helm - Eaves

Miller - Emmerton

Lidstrom - White

Kronwall - Kindl

Smith - Ericsson

Janik

Howard

Conklin

[Shaman 713]

Lidstrom - 5.5 mil

Kronwall - 5.5 mil

Stuart - SIONARA

Commodore - SIONARA

Bertuzzi - SIONARA

Holmstrom - SIONARA

Hudler - SIONARA

Abdelkader - 1.5 mil

Helm - 2 mil

Conklin - 1 mil

Franzen - Zetterberg - Boyes

Cleary - Datsyuk - Grabovski

Mursak - Filppula - Tatar

Abdelkader - Helm - Eaves

Miller - Emmerton

Lidstrom - White

Kronwall - Kindl

Smith - Ericsson

Janik

Howard

Conklin

That team wouldn't make it past the first round.

[Buppy 1,720]

Lidstrom - 5.5 mil

Kronwall - 5.5 mil

Stuart - SIONARA

Commodore - SIONARA

Bertuzzi - SIONARA

Holmstrom - SIONARA

Hudler - SIONARA

Abdelkader - 1.5 mil

Helm - 2 mil

Conklin - 1 mil

Franzen - Zetterberg - Boyes

Cleary - Datsyuk - Grabovski

Mursak - Filppula - Tatar

Abdelkader - Helm - Eaves

Miller - Emmerton

Lidstrom - White

Kronwall - Kindl

Smith - Ericsson

Janik

Howard

Conklin

Kind of proving my point here; instead of re-signing Hudler you upgraded. That defense is pretty suspect. Boyes is more of a project than a true top-6 forward at this point. Maybe he'll rebound this year, but I wouldn't invest much into him until he does. Better off using that cap to upgrade Janik to a real defenseman and adding Nyquist. Then depending on cap remaining you can look at upgrading Flip.

[Z and D for the C 712]

On any other team, Flip is A LOT more than a third line center. On the Wings, he is a third line center. He is NOT better than Datsyuk, and he is not better than Zetterberg. Filppula is AWESOME, imo. I just don't think he's a Euro Triplet yet!!!

Right, obviously if Flip is going to be a center and Z and Pav are going to be split up, then Filppula will be centering the third line. That's the argument though, Flip is good enough to center the second line (and even more, who wouldn't be comfortable with Flip centering the first line with both Z and Pav were out for a few games?) so our team is best with Datsyuk and Zetterberg together on the top line. Especially given that they're not the players they were 3-4 years ago.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Filppula the best player on the ice tonight, no question.

[Konnan511 1,736]

Filppula's defense easily prevents a dozen or so points. Add that to his total and you find his real worth. Anywhere between 35-45 points and I'm happy because i know he makes his money when the real season starts.

[Scott Stevens 44]

That team wouldn't make it past the first round.

Wrong. That team would make a deep push and might even take the cup. The old, broken down guys (Rafalski, Bertuzzi, Holmstrom, Draper, Maltby, etc) that the Wings have kept around too long are the reason we can't get by the Sharks/Canucks right now. We need more speed, size, and youth in our line-up. Why everyone is afraid to add the young, fast guys is beyond me.