I've wathed a few of his games and wondered the same thing... He's getting older though and his time is running out, but maybe if he keeps this up and performs better than his brother for a full season he could get a second chance to make an impression.
Imagine how effective Val Filppula would be if he skated like his brother.
Quite simply, he wouldn't be an NHLer.
What I remember of iFlip was that he was a below average skater and not physically engaged at all.
Since the Wings already had guys like Hudler and Holmstrom and Bertuzzi (and even Zetterberg) the wings didn't have the ability to waste another spot on a below average sakter who didn't bring any physicality or grit to the team.
Ilari Filppula was too slow and too small. He was given a chance during preseason and did not perform. Whatever the case, excellence in the AHL does not always translate into success at the NHL level. Just ask Alexandre Giroux and Keith Aucoin, both of whom were megastars at the AHL level but could not maintain a job in the NHL. Much the same, success in a foreign league---even the KHL is included in this---is by no means a certain indicator of prosperity in the far faster and more physical NHL.
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Originally Posted by FissionFire
He was a PP specialist and subpar ES 4th liner.
In his last season, yes. But remember that for two seasons and part of a third, he played RW on possibly the league's best line with Datsyuk and Zetterberg. Though they provided much of that line's talent, he synergized perfectly with what their skills.
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If not for his niche he would not have been in the NHL.
Maybe, maybe not. Either way, he was superlative at his job. Very few players in history have matched his ability to screen the goalie and deflect the puck, and it can be argued that no player in the history of the NHL put up with as much physical punishment as Holmstrom did.
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Originally Posted by eva unit zero
Or a career-best in points because he was playing aggressive offensive hockey with skilled linemates while paying less attention to his defense.
Let's bear in mind here two facts: one, that is far more true of Hudler than it is of Filppula; and two, the latter had to pay extra attention to defense in order to compensate for Hudler's nearly absolute lack of acuity or ability in that area.
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Originally Posted by crashman
What's Hudler up to these days?
He's doing what he always does when he's not playing hockey: eating donuts and visiting houses of ill-repute!
Ilari Filppula was too slow and too small. He was given a chance during preseason and did not perform. Whatever the case, excellence in the AHL does not always translate into success at the NHL level. Just ask Alexandre Giroux and Keith Aucoin, both of whom were megastars at the AHL level but could not maintain a job in the NHL. Much the same, success in a foreign league---even the KHL is included in this---is by no means a certain indicator of prosperity in the far faster and more physical NHL.
That goes both ways too. Some guys who excel in the small rinks and crash-and-bang style of the NHL have struggled to play on the larger international ice surfaces (Pronger) or the KHL (E.Kane).
That goes both ways too. Some guys who excel in the small rinks and crash-and-bang style of the NHL have struggled to play on the larger international ice surfaces (Pronger) or the KHL (E.Kane).
In this event, Ilari would be going from an easier environment to a more physical one.
Ilari Filppula was too slow and too small. He was given a chance during preseason and did not perform. Whatever the case, excellence in the AHL does not always translate into success at the NHL level. Just ask Alexandre Giroux and Keith Aucoin, both of whom were megastars at the AHL level but could not maintain a job in the NHL. Much the same, success in a foreign league---even the KHL is included in this---is by no means a certain indicator of prosperity in the far faster and more physical NHL.
pre-season blabla... After the preseason, he played good hockey in the AHL for the whole season! It takes more time than a few weeks to learn the NA-style game. He did, but never got a chance.
A guy that plays really good in the AHL and also tears up the FEL would IMO have a good chance becoming a NHL-player. Considering that Jokerit, his home-team, is playing in an NHL-sized rink, I would consider his chances even better!
Hopefully some other team takes a chance on him when NHL is back.
Ilari Filppula has truly been great this season. I remember he started the season pretty slowly as did the whole Jokerit team because of suspensions and injuries. But after Valtteri Filppula joined the team, Ilari really picked up his game. Filppula-Filppula-Moses was an amazing line but it was the only line generating offense, so the two brothers were separated. Now the first line has been Teräväinen-I. Filppula-Moses and even the powerplay has started working wonderfully after Jokerit started placing two guys to the front of the net. And of course there is Erik Karlsson also on the blueline... Pretty much the best first line and powerplay unit currently in the league in my mind. But I'm a Jokerit follower and watch all of their games so I don't see other teams too regularly.
Ilari was also called up for the EHT for Finland but he was a fourth line center in 2 games and scratched in one. Saw some powerplay time only on the last game of the tournament. He did not impress but he had played some heavy minutes in the SM-league because still at that time, Jokerit was mainly a one line team. Now they are starting to fire on all cylinders and the first line does not have to play 20 minutes a game or even over. But still on EHT he seemed kinda slowish and lost physical battles against opposing D. Which was kinda odd because he's great along the boards and hanging onto the puck in the FEL plus has a decent amount of speed and is very elusive. Handled his defensive duties alright though. Hopefully he'll get called up for another EHT tournament and given regular PP-time and maybe some decent linemates.
But I don't think that Ilari is going to come to NA anymore. He's already 31. One has to think that if he's going somewhere from Jokerit, it's the KHL. Not ride the bus in the AHL for less money than he currently makes or would make in the KHL. Having said that, he's definitely a better player than two-three years ago. Has improved his shooting quite a bit. Has one-timed several slapshots this year from the hashmarks and made himself a more bigger threat.
His last season was a modest one in Jokerit, 44GP 10+21. But the whole team sucked and the top scorers had only around 35 points. This year they have a good game plan which involves a lot of puck control and Ilari has a good linemate in Steve Moses and vice versa.
Ilari Filppula is the Linus Omark of SM-Liiga. No use at North America but a great guy in here. Nice to see him doing well, but as a Red Wing fan I don't have any kind of hope for him.
pre-season blabla... After the preseason, he played good hockey in the AHL for the whole season! It takes more time than a few weeks to learn the NA-style game. He did, but never got a chance.
A guy that plays really good in the AHL and also tears up the FEL would IMO have a good chance becoming a NHL-player. Considering that Jokerit, his home-team, is playing in an NHL-sized rink, I would consider his chances even better!
Hopefully some other team takes a chance on him when NHL is back.
A guy that plays really good in the AHL and also tears up the FEL would IMO have a good chance becoming a NHL-player. Considering that Jokerit, his home-team, is playing in an NHL-sized rink, I would consider his chances even better!
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Originally Posted by kemisti
I think it's little bigger than NHL sized rink.
Jokerit rink is international size, 30 x 60 meters. It was last season already.
