Valtteri Filppula

Valtteri Filppula (born 20 March 1984) is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Valtteri Filppula
Filppula with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2014
Born (1984-03-20) 20 March 1984
Vantaa, Finland
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position Centre
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams		 Detroit Red Wings
Jokerit
Tampa Bay Lightning
Philadelphia Flyers
New York Islanders
National team  Finland
NHL Draft 95th overall, 2002
Detroit Red Wings
Playing career 2003–present

He won the Stanley Cup with the Red Wings in 2008. He has previously played with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers, and New York Islanders before his return to Detroit in 2019.

Playing career

Detroit Red Wings

Filppula was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the third round, 95th overall, in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. He started his hockey career with the Jokerit organization, and secured his place in the SM-liiga team in the 2003–04 season as an offensive forward. He won the SM-liiga silver medal with Jokerit in 2005, and was set to become the team's number one center for the next season. However, Filppula moved to North America to play for the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League (AHL), the top minor league affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings. He was selected to play for PlanetUSA in the 2005–06 AHL All-Star Game.

On 15 December 2005, Filppula made his NHL debut with the Red Wings, becoming the first Finnish player ever to play an NHL game for Detroit. He scored his first NHL goal on 28 October 2006, against former Red Wing goaltender Manny Legace in a game against the St. Louis Blues. He then scored his first playoff career goal in Game 1 of the 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs against the Calgary Flames on 12 April 2007, his first post-season game.

Filppula with the Detroit Red Wings in 2008

Filppula continued playing for the Red Wings and scored 36 points on his third season for the team in the 2007–08 season. He won his first Stanley Cup when Red Wings defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games in the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals. He scored the second goal for Detroit in the decisive sixth game of the series, a game in which the Red Wings won 3–2.

On 30 July 2008, Filppula signed a five-year, $15-million contract extension with Detroit, avoiding salary arbitration.[1]

On 21 September 2012, Filppula signed with his former team club Jokerit in Finland as a result of the 2012–13 NHL lockout that halted play. He returned to the Red Wings at the conclusion of the lockout, as his contract with Jokerit was signed to last as long as the lockout did.[2]

Tampa Bay Lightning

On 5 July 2013, Filppula signed a five-year, $25 million contract as an unrestricted free agent with the Tampa Bay Lightning.[3] On 1 December 2014, Filppula recorded his 200th NHL assist in a 6–3 Tampa Bay Lightning win over the New York Rangers.[4] On 6 January 2015, Filppula played in his 600th NHL game in a 4–2 Lightning win over the Montreal Canadiens.[5]

Philadelphia Flyers

The Lightning dealt Filppula on 1 March 2017 hours before the NHL Trade Deadline to the Philadelphia Flyers, along with a 2017 4th round draft pick and a conditional 7th round draft pick, in exchange for defenseman Mark Streit.[6] Streit was immediately traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a draft pick.[7] The moves allowed for Tampa Bay to clear Filppula's $5 million salary cap hit and protect another player in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft due to his no-trade clause. Filppula reportedly rejected a transaction two days earlier that would've sent him to the Toronto Maple Leafs along with Lightning teammate Brian Boyle.[8] Filppula made his Flyers debut on 2 March, a 2–1 shootout win against the Florida Panthers in which he scored the tying goal and was awarded the game's third star.[9] Prior to the 2017–18 season the Flyers named Filppula an alternate captain along with Andrew MacDonald.[10]

New York Islanders

On 1 July 2018, Filppula signed a one-year $2.75 million contract with the New York Islanders.[11] In the 2018–19 season, Filppula proved his versatility with the Islanders, used in all forward positions in posting 17 goals and 14 assists for 33 points in 72 games for the playoff bound club. In the post-season, Filppula helped the Islanders advance to the second-round collecting 4 assists in 8 games.

Return to Detroit
Filppula prepares to take a face-off during the 2019–20 NHL season

On 1 July 2019, Filppula signed a two-year, $6 million contract with the Red Wings.[12] On 1 February 2020, Filppula appeared in his 1,000th career NHL game, becoming the eighth Finnish-born player to reach the milestone.[13]

International play
Medal record
Representing  Finland
Ice hockey
Winter Olympics
2010 Vancouver
World Junior Championships
2003 Canada
2004 Finland

Filppula was named captain of Finland at the World under-18 Championships in Slovakia in 2002. At the 2004 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, he scored four goals and five assists in seven games to be selected as the tournament all-star. He was selected to play for Finland at the 2010 Winter Olympics, which eventually resulted in a bronze medal win over Slovakia. He scored the empty net goal in the 5–3 win.

On 7 January 2014, Filppula was named to the team Finland roster for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.[14] On 6 February 2014, Filppula suffered an ankle injury in Tampa Bay's 4–1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.[15] The injury was diagnosed as a non-displaced fracture and he was expected to miss at least three weeks, forcing him to miss the Olympics.[16]

On 2 March 2016, Finland named Filppula to its 2016 World Cup of Hockey roster.[17] He scored Finland's only goal of the tournament in the game against North America.

Personal life

Filppula is the younger brother of Ilari Filppula.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2000–01 Jokerit FIN U18 31 18 29 47 4 6 4 4 8 0
2000–01 Jokerit FIN U20 1 0 1 1 0 — — — — —
2001–02 Jokerit FIN U18 1 0 1 1 0 8 4 9 13 2
2001–02 Jokerit FIN U20 40 8 15 23 14 1 0 0 0 0
2002–03 Jokerit FIN U20 35 16 37 53 14 11 4 10 14 4
2003–04 Jokerit SM-l 49 5 13 18 6 — — — — —
2004–05 Jokerit SM-l 55 10 20 30 20 12 5 6 11 2
2005–06 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 74 20 50 70 30 16 7 9 16 4
2005–06 Detroit Red Wings NHL 4 0 1 1 2 — — — — —
2006–07 Detroit Red Wings NHL 73 10 7 17 20 18 3 2 5 2
2006–07 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 3 2 2 4 2 — — — — —
2007–08 Detroit Red Wings NHL 78 19 17 36 28 22 5 6 11 2
2008–09 Detroit Red Wings NHL 80 12 28 40 42 23 3 13 16 8
2009–10 Detroit Red Wings NHL 55 11 24 35 24 12 4 5 9 6
2010–11 Detroit Red Wings NHL 71 16 23 39 22 11 2 6 8 6
2011–12 Detroit Red Wings NHL 81 23 43 66 14 5 0 2 2 2
2012–13 Jokerit SM-l 16 6 9 15 6 — — — — —
2012–13 Detroit Red Wings NHL 41 9 8 17 6 14 2 4 6 4
2013–14 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 75 25 33 58 20 4 0 1 1 0
2014–15 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 82 12 36 48 24 26 4 10 14 4
2015–16 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 76 8 23 31 46 17 1 6 7 0
2016–17 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 59 7 27 34 24 — — — — —
2016–17 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 20 5 3 8 2 — — — — —
2017–18 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 81 11 22 33 20 6 1 2 3 2
2018–19 New York Islanders NHL 72 17 14 31 16 8 0 4 4 2
2019–20 Detroit Red Wings NHL 70 6 15 21 24 — — — — —
NHL totals 1,018 191 324 515 334 166 25 61 86 38

International
Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2002 Finland U18 4th 8 4 6 10 2
2003 Finland WJC 6 0 1 1 2
2004 Finland WJC 7 4 5 9 2
2010 Finland OG 6 3 0 3 0
2012 Finland WC 4th 10 4 6 10 6
2016 Finland WCH 8th 3 1 0 1 0
2017 Finland WC 4th 10 2 3 5 12
Junior totals 21 8 12 20 6
Senior totals 29 10 9 19 18

Awards and honors
Award Year
Finnish Jr. A
Runners-up (Jokerit) 2002-03
Kari Jalonen Award 2003
SM-liiga
Runners-up (Jokerit) 2004-05
AHL
All-Star Game 2006
NHL
Stanley Cup (Detroit Red Wings) 2008
Clarence S. Campbell Bowl (Detroit Red Wings) 2008, 2009
Prince of Wales Trophy (Tampa Bay Lightning) 2015
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References
  1. Lage, Larry (30 July 2008). "Red Wings re-sign F Filppula to $15M, 5-year deal". Associated Press. Retrieved 10 August 2009.
  2. "Valtteri Filppula to become the latest locked-out NHL star to join the Finnish SM-Liiga". Helsingin Sanomat. 21 September 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2012.
  3. Damian Cristodero (5 July 2013). "Lightning signs free agent C Valtteri Filppula as No. 2 center". Tampabay.com. Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on 16 July 2013. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  4. Burns, Bryan (1 December 2014). "Pair of goals from Brett Connolly helps complete sweep of Rangers". Tampa Bay Lightning Beat Writer. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  5. Burns, Bryan (6 January 2015). "Sensational second period lifts Bolts past Habs". Tampa Bay Lightning Beat Writer. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  6. Tampa Bay, Lightning (1 March 2017). "Lightning announce trade deadline roster moves". Tampa Bay Lightning. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  7. "Bolts quickly flip Streit to Penguins". TSN. 1 March 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  8. "Report: Lightning's Valtteri Filppula rejected trade to Maple Leafs". Sportsnet. 1 March 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  9. "Valtteri Filppula, Flyers defeat Panthers in shootout". NHL.com. 3 March 2017. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  10. "Flyers name Filppula and MacDonald alternate captains". NHL.com. 3 October 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  11. "Filppula Agrees to Terms on One-Year Contract". NHL.com. 1 July 2018. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
  12. "Red Wings fill needs, sign Filppula, Nemeth and Pickard to two-year deals". Detroit Red Wings. 1 July 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  13. Wakiji, Dana (1 February 2020). "Filppula set to skate in his 1,000th career game Saturday". NHL.com. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
  14. Meares, Tasha (7 January 2014). "Finland Releases 2014 Olympic Men's Hockey Roster". SI.com Fansided. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  15. Zielinski, Missy (6 February 2014). "Bishop, Filppula Leave Game With Injuries In Bolts Second Straight Loss". Lightning Beat Writer. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  16. Erlendsson, Erik (7 February 2014). "Bolts C Filppula injures ankle, to miss Olympics". Tampa Tribune. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  17. Roarke, Shawn (2 March 2016). "Rask, Rinne to lead Finland at World Cup". NHL.com. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
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