# 51 JOKE

[Guest The Axe]

And then he scores the series winner in Game 6 and everyone shuts up.

[rick zombo 3,739]

This series will be won based on who wakes up first: Franzen-Filpulla vs Hossa-Sharp.

Both Mule and Flipper need to play with more jam.

[Guest DeGraa55]

This series will be won based on who wakes up first: Franzen-Filpulla vs Hossa-Sharp.

Both Mule and Flipper need to play with more jam.

Anaheim was same way. Fil franzen and z or perry.

Game 7 fil showed up goal wise. But was always putting pressure on them.

[joshy207 156]

Filp will be gone because under the cap we are not allowed to enjoy the fruits of our own cultivation. ( If you're drafting and development are too good, you end up supplying the league with good players because the rules won't allow you to pay them for what you helped make them worth--some other team gets the return on your investment).

Nyquist will move up with Z, and Tatar will join the team.

The Wings have PLENTY of cap space to give Filppula his reported asking price. The reality is, he is nowhere near worth that price ($5M). He is a half-point-a-game player, is good defensively (but so are a lot of other forwards) but does not produce offensively to his talent level, and very rarely shows any desire to be better. He's basically a perimeter player. Let someone else pay him what he is "worth".

Also, T.Low, what goes around comes around, the Wings have picked up players off the scrap heap that have contributed here, and in the near future, could benefit from the exact situation you are describing, getting quality players from other teams who can no longer afford them.

[Red Crazy 201]

One thing I don't get is when people say Fil's future with the Wings depends on what Pavel does????? Fil is a 3 rd line center at best so why does it matter? If Pavel goes back home after next season the Wings will need every penny of salary cap space to replace him and they will not need a over payed Fil taking up that space. Kenny Holland would have got overpaid at the deadline for Fil and he could have easily been replaced by Tatar.

If Fil was not afraid of his own shadow he has the tools to be a great player in this league. I like him but theres not room for him.

[Euro_Twins 4,475]

This series will be won based on who wakes up first: Franzen-Filpulla vs Hossa-Sharp.

Both Mule and Flipper need to play with more jam.

Franzen seemed to be hustling in game 5 more than he has all series, he just didn't score

[Z and D for the C 712]

Franzen seemed to be hustling in game 5 more than he has all series, he just didn't score

So basically he was like Fil has been all playoffs.

Fil has struggled and its frustrating because you know has is capable of much more, but he's still a valuable asset and has been an ace at faceoffs and he is invaluable when it comes to skating the puck through the neutral zone and getting it set up. To whoever said that he ruins all offense, that's just stupid. Straight up. He's been our best forward not named Datsyuk or Zetterberg (Brunner has been sick, but he doesn't play against the other teams best players), although that isn't saying a whole lot since Cleary and Franzen aren't playing well either.

Filppula needs to be much more aggressive with the puck, but he has works his ass off the entire game and we don't make it to the second round if he isn't on our team. Those are facts.

[Euro_Twins 4,475]

So basically he was like Fil has been all playoffs.

Fil has struggled and its frustrating because you know has is capable of much more, but he's still a valuable asset and has been an ace at faceoffs and he is invaluable when it comes to skating the puck through the neutral zone and getting it set up. To whoever said that he ruins all offense, that's just stupid. Straight up. He's been our best forward not named Datsyuk or Zetterberg (Brunner has been sick, but he doesn't play against the other teams best players), although that isn't saying a whole lot since Cleary and Franzen aren't playing well either.

Filppula needs to be much more aggressive with the puck, but he has works his ass off the entire game and we don't make it to the second round if he isn't on our team. Those are facts.

While I do agree he has worked hard and has not been wasted out there, it matters not how defenively capable you may be if you cannot score as a forward, we really need him to step it up and shoot more

[Z and D for the C 712]

Oh I agree completely. He's playing way to much on the perimeter, he needs to take the puck to the net way more often. That's when he is most successful and why he scored 66 points last year. He is timid and needs to play more aggressive. Its hard to say why he isn't and what changed between last year and this one.

I'm just saying he hasn't been as bad as people like the OP are making it out to be.

Edited May 27, 2013 by Z and D for the C

[b.shanafan14 733]

Filppula was much better last game. Still playing too much on the edge, but so is half the team. At least the guy is moving his feet, trying to create and battle, even if he isn't doing it the best way possible.

Speaking of sloppy, lazy, perimeter players: when is our "favorite" playoff beast Franzen due back from vacation?

[lwing 68]

Am i the only one who thinks he is clearly hurting? he's usually a smooth skater and his skating has been laborious.

That's a really good point. I recall Yzerman pointed out how Flip played hurt one playoff season a while back without any whining or press. As Sherlock Holmes (and later Spock too) said, "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."

[wingslogo19 281]

Mule was a turn over machine last night. Ps Mule we need you in beast mode game 7

[StormJH1 231]

My attitude towards #51 is pretty similar to the way everybody used to view Hudler when he was here. I just learned not to expect that much out of him. As a center and a good defender, he's certainly a more valuable overall player than Hudler was, but neither of them seemed to have any consistent role in generating offense. Honestly, you could watch games the past few years, and see more game-to-game impact from Danny Cleary than you would from Filppula.

But some team will pay him $5 mil/yr in July, just like countless medicore centers have gotten paid over and over again by mid-tier teams hoping to buy themselves out of having not lucked into a legit 1st (or 2nd) line center. I legitimately believe that Nyquist can replace most or all of Filppula's 2-way game next season, and he won't cost $5 million. We'll need to sign or develop a new scoring center next year, but that was pretty much the case anyway b/c of the situation with Datsyuk.

Unfortunately, this feels like a situation like the Ericsson one where fans assume he'll be let go, but the organization might be more intent on keeping him - which will lead to a backlash when he's "overpaid". The Ericsson thing ended up working out surprisingly well, but Filppula is older and there's no indication to me he has another level he can add to his game.

[Guest Crymson]

Unfortunately, this feels like a situation like the Ericsson one where fans assume he'll be let go, but the organization might be more intent on keeping him - which will lead to a backlash when he's "overpaid". The Ericsson thing ended up working out surprisingly well, but Filppula is older and there's no indication to me he has another level he can add to his game.

Filppula already got his "faith" contract. He is on the last season of it. Kronwall and Ericsson justified theirs by continuing to improve. Filppula hit a plateau. His 60-point season was hopeful, but he has returned to 40-point form. He's good as a third-line center and little else. If he wants to take $3m to play that role, great. He can play the wing or the center on that line and perhaps be effective. But he has reached the limit of his potential, and he'll very likely never be viable as a top-six player.

[Z Winged Dangler 2,082]

Filppula already got his "faith" contract. He is on the last season of it. Kronwall and Ericsson justified theirs by continuing to improve. Filppula hit a plateau. His 60-point season was hopeful, but he has returned to 40-point form. He's good as a third-line center and little else. If he wants to take $3m to play that role, great. He can play the wing or the center on that line and perhaps be effective. But he has reached the limit of his potential, and he'll very likely never be viable as a top-six player.

Agreed. If he wants more than 3 mil, he can centre Hudler in Calgary. I can't wait to see what kind of goofball signings are made this summer. I hope next to none and we have Tatar up next year and our boys have to fight hard to keep their jobs over prospects in GR. It's time to start giving out 1-2 year deals so the wolves stay hungry....cause the legs feed the wolves.

[joshy207 156]

Agreed. If he wants more than 3 mil, he can centre Hudler in Calgary. I can't wait to see what kind of goofball signings are made this summer. I hope next to none and we have Tatar up next year and our boys have to fight hard to keep their jobs over prospects in GR. It's time to start giving out 1-2 year deals so the wolves stay hungry....cause the legs feed the wolves.

YES.

That, and trade an underachiever or two. There's an air of complacency around this club that I don't like...

[joesuffP 1,746]

Our top 6 is in shambles we have only been successful these playoffs cause our bottom 6 have been playing out of their minds. I wouldn't mind bailing on all of Cleary, Flippula and Franzen. Sign at least one impactful player and we can get by the same way we did this year. It will really show how little these guys contributed to our success next year when we have our young guys replace them and put up the same numbers. Get rid of those three, sign one competent top 6 and promote a few youngsters and we will have the same offensive output.

[KrazyGangsta 79]

Filpulla should on be re-signed if it's at a low cap hit like around 2.5 - 3.0 for like 2 years not more.

[Z and D for the C 712]

^ I could see him getting a short deal for a modest raise to see if this season or last season was the fluke.

To all the doofuses who think that we didn't lose anything with Flip getting injured, he was the difference in game 7 against Anahiem and he could have easily been the difference in this game. If it wasn't for that jackass Shaw, we could be celebrating right now. Flip was far from consistent and far from great, but he made some key contributions, and that can't be denied.

[dropkickshanahans 463]

^ I could see him getting a short deal for a modest raise to see if this season or last season was the fluke.

To all the doofuses who think that we didn't lose anything with Flip getting injured, he was the difference in game 7 against Anahiem and he could have easily been the difference in this game. If it wasn't for that jackass Shaw, we could be celebrating right now. Flip was far from consistent and far from great, but he made some key contributions, and that can't be denied.

I just wish he played with more "umph". I believe even you said he's been timid, which is the perfect word I'd describe him as and it's been irritating me for awhile that he's been like that. I want to see the Flip that knocked Ovechkin on his ass and crashes the net. Perhaps he was hurt?

[gcom007 1,465]

^ I could see him getting a short deal for a modest raise to see if this season or last season was the fluke.To all the doofuses who think that we didn't lose anything with Flip getting injured, he was the difference in game 7 against Anahiem and he could have easily been the difference in this game. If it wasn't for that jackass Shaw, we could be celebrating right now. Flip was far from consistent and far from great, but he made some key contributions, and that can't be denied.

So, what about games 5 and 6 when we also had a chance to close up shop on the Hawks season?

[marcaractac 3,962]

My biggest issue came in tonight's handshake line. Franzen was smiling. Maybe I am looking too much into things, but after a game 7 loss in OT, iis a player who is gonna smile at the end the kind of player we wanna see on this team? That to me screams "I don't care"

[MotorCityMadness 388]

My biggest issue came in tonight's handshake line. Franzen was smiling. Maybe I am looking too much into things, but after a game 7 loss in OT, iis a player who is gonna smile at the end the kind of player we wanna see on this team? That to me screams "I don't care"

Makes you wonder if putting him in the press box a few times during the season would have maybe ignited him to be the player he was in 2008...probably not, but if I were Holland I would seriously consider buying him out.

[Guest DeGraa55]

Makes you wonder if putting him in the press box a few times during the season would have maybe ignited him to be the player he was in 2008...probably not, but if I were Holland I would seriously consider buying him out.

God I hope so. Bit it won't happen.

[Red Wings Addict 787]

Oh Fil...

Meh. See ya.