Valtteri Filppula watch thread

[eva unit zero 271]

^ Says the person who was the first to mention Hudler in a thread not about him (shocking).

Pot, meet kettle.

To rank Filppula's offensive ability.

Such as:

Henrik Sedin won't ever put up Gretzky numbers, but he'll be better than Doug Weight.

[Shaman 713]

Flip is an integral part of the team as a defensive, playmaking center. We all hoped he would turn into a 60+ point player but that likely isn't going to happen. Not every second liner is going to put up those points and I don't think it's a failure if he doesn't. Even as a third (scoring line) line center he is a good fit IMO.

I don't think he's a true second line center, I think in reality hes a poor man's Jordan Staal at this point.

[WorkingOvertime 536]

I don't think he's a true second line center, I think in reality hes a poor man's Jordan Staal at this point.

He is not going to be the top scorer on most second lines but I'd say he's at least as good as half of the league's second line centers. Flip is also a great third line center (where we've had him over the past seasons) on a scoring third line.

[Guest Crymson]

Yep, breaking up the hottest line in hockey when all three were absolutely on fire, that makes sense.

Surely he did this just to strike at Hudler.

No, wait... he did it because that line--and all the rest--had stopped scoring.

[Mabuhay Red Wings 177]

I believe that Filppula we all want to see exists. Unfortunately, I doubt we'll ever see Filppula play like that unless he's the first line center and has no choice but to feel the urgency to dominate the puck and produce points.

[Buppy 1,720]

For the 11 games Hudler/Datsyuk/Cleary were together, Hudler led the line in scoring, scored at a 100-point pace, and created a good portion of the goals. And he was playing second line ice time while he did it.

It's not the first time Hudler has been that hot offensively over 10+ games, either. From Oct. 18th to Nov 22nd of 2008-09 Hudler scored at a 100+ point pace while playing third line ice time.

If Hudler was given consistent time on a scoring line with top-six players, he'd be scoring a point per game every season. For those of you all set to say "He stopped scoring once he was separated from Datsyuk" he had been scoring at nearly a point per game for 20 games before Dats came back, and since he has been separated from Dats he's been playing on the fourth line. Even though he scored at least one point in 9 of the 11 games with Dats.

In other words, what I said was a fact. Hudler has shown he is capable of being a high-end offensive player; Filppula has yet to show that.

27 points in 31 games is pretty close to 26 in 28. Sure, Happy is a bit better offensively, but I wouldn't call either 'high-end'...though my definition may be a bit less liberal than it should.

What Hudler has really shown (at least in '08-'09) that Flip hasn't is an ability to produce with fair consistency in less than ideal circumstances. Which is a good thing because he doesn't have the complete game to earn big minutes and prime linemates when we're healthy. He can still be a huge asset in a diminished role. He really hasn't been this season, but I still have confidence that he can get it going.

Flip can be an asset without scoring, just not a $3M one. He needs high quality linemates to really be valuable. He was that before he got hurt, but since he's been back he hasn't. I'm still confident that he can be, but his position and minutes are too important to allow him too much time. At the very least he needs to start skating harder and generating some chances. If he doesn't someone else needs to be given a chance.

[eva unit zero 271]

Surely he did this just to strike at Hudler.

No, wait... he did it because that line--and all the rest--had stopped scoring.

Hudler scored points in nine of the eleven games that line was together. He was doing most of his scoring at even strength. When did the line stop scoring?

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

[Mabuhay Red Wings 177]

Babs would probably say Fil got that goal because he got to the inside, which he still has to do more often.

[Z and D for the C 712]

Thread worked.

[Guest Shoreline]

Flip sucks, he can never score 20 goals in a single game.

[Mabuhay Red Wings 177]

Flip sucks, he can never score 20 goals in a single game.

Yeah not even. Hudler can score at least 30 in a game.

[Z and D for the C 712]

Babs would probably say Fil got that goal because he got to the inside, which he still has to do more often.

Fil didn't get that goal because he went to the middle, he got that goal because his teammates on the ice were able to sustain pressure. Lately it seems like if (when Flip is on the ice, anyway) the puck isn't on on Flip's stick, it isn't in the offensive zone. Not that Flip is always making spectacular plays and never loses the puck and is perfect in the offensive zone, but it's just an observation.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

Flip sucks, he can never score 20 goals in a single game.

I bet Pulkkinen could.

[St. Michael (the Red Wing) 422]

Thought Flip good tonight minus the goal. Bout time....

[HankthaTank 1,100]

Good game for Flips. Keep it up!

[eva unit zero 271]

Babs would probably say Fil got that goal because he got to the inside, which he still has to do more often.

Which has been his main problem as far as goal scoring. He won't go to the inside. the Wings have guys smaller than Flip who will go right to the net trying to get the puck into it.

[Z and D for the C 712]

Which has been his main problem as far as goal scoring. He won't go to the inside. the Wings have guys smaller than Flip who will go right to the net trying to get the puck into it.

Filppula goes to the inside all the time. Look at his goals scored this year (if you can stomach it). Like I said, the difference between today and the past few weeks is his line was able to cycle and battle for the puck in the offensive zone creating opportunities. Which is exactly what lead to his goal.

[eva unit zero 271]

Filppula goes to the inside all the time. Look at his goals scored this year (if you can stomach it). Like I said, the difference between today and the past few weeks is his line was able to cycle and battle for the puck in the offensive zone creating opportunities. Which is exactly what lead to his goal.

Read my comment, read yours, and look at Filppula's goal total.

[WorkingOvertime 536]

Hudler and Flip are not directly comparable. Flip can anchor and line whereas Huds needs other (better) players to play with. Huds probably has a better scoring touch, but that doesn't make a player. I'd be comfortable putting Flip with any two players on the team (except Homer and Huds), but Huds needs to be with better players to succeed. Huds was playing well with Cleary and Dats, but honestly whose production wouldn't go up playing on that line?

[Mabuhay Red Wings 177]

Hudler and Flip are not directly comparable. Flip can anchor and line whereas Huds needs other (better) players to play with. Huds probably has a better scoring touch, but that doesn't make a player. I'd be comfortable putting Flip with any two players on the team (except Homer and Huds), but Huds needs to be with better players to succeed. Huds was playing well with Cleary and Dats, but honestly whose production wouldn't go up playing on that line?

What exactly do you mean by "anchor a line"?

And, actually, that's a pretty good point about Filppula. He fits well with almost anybody in any situation.

[WorkingOvertime 536]

What exactly do you mean by "anchor a line"?

And, actually, that's a pretty good point about Filppula. He fits well with almost anybody in any situation.

Sorry for being ambiguous. I mean that Flip can be counted on to be a consistent, defensive, offensively decent (above average IMO) player. Aside from Huds and Homer (together), Flip can be matched with any two players on the team and the line will be adequate. This is why Huds is sometimes demoted to the fourth line while Flip is always on the top-3 lines. I'm not saying Huds deserves to be on the fourth, but he requires more of his linemates to be an effective player than Flip.

[Mabuhay Red Wings 177]

Sorry for being ambiguous. I mean that Flip can be counted on to be a consistent, defensive, offensively decent (above average IMO) player. Aside from Huds and Homer (together), Flip can be matched with any two players on the team and the line will be adequate. This is why Huds is sometimes demoted to the fourth line while Flip is always on the top-3 lines. I'm not saying Huds deserves to be on the fourth, but he requires more of his linemates to be an effective player than Flip.

Well because if you meant that Fil can carry a line offensively then, yeah, I wouldn't be sure which player you were watching.

To be fair, when Datsyuk went out in the '09 playoffs, Fil played with Homer and Hossa for quite the period of time and the line was pretty good. Not great but good. And actually, when you think about lineups in terms of whom you can play Huds with, you can actually include Fil on that list. Those two have always had good chemistry. At least, offensively.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

Another goal tonight. He must have read this thread.

[Z and D for the C 712]

Can we have a whole Filppula sucks forum?