Playing Career
Filppula was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the third-round, ninety-fifth overall, in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.
Filppula started his hockey career with the Jokerit organization, and secured his place in the SM-liiga team in the 2003-04 season as an excellent 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 headed across the Atlantic to play for the Grand Rapids Griffins in the American Hockey League. He was selected to play for PlanetUSA in the 2005–06 AHL All-Star Game.
On December 15, 2005 he 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 October 28, 2006 against former Wing Manny Legacé in a game against the St. Louis Blues. Filppula scored his first playoff career goal in Game 1 against the Calgary Flames on April 12, 2007 in his first post-season game.
Filppula continued playing for the Red Wings and scored 36 points on his third season for the team.
Filppula won his first Stanley Cup when Red Wings defeated Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2 in the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals. Filppula scored the 2-0 goal for Detroit on the decisive game 6 of the series, Detroit won the game 3-2.
On July 30, 2008, Filppula signed a five-year, $15-million contract with the Red Wings, avoiding salary arbitration.
On September 21, 2012, he signed with SM-liiga team Jokerit due to the 2012 NHL lockout. The contract lasts as long as the lockout does.
Read more about this topic: Valtteri Filppula
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