GM Craig MacTavish will no doubt be looking to make significant moves this summer in order to improve the Oilers. One of the players available this summer is Detroit Red Wings LW Valtteri Filppula. There are a few reasons Filppula could be a good fit in Edmonton.
MacT has hinted that Ales Hemsky isn’t necessarily in the plans going forward. If the Oilers trade Hemsky, it’s likely going to be in a package deal to help the blueline. This opens a spot at right wing for Nail Yakupov to play with Sam Gagner on the 2nd line. Adding Filppula for the right price (around $5M) to play on that line works for a few reasons:
Oilers won’t lose any offense
- In the last 3 seasons Filppula’s PPG avg. is .63 which identical to Ales Hemsky.
- He’d play the same Quality of Competition in Edmonton as he did in Detroit.
- His TOI would stay the same.
The 2nd line needs help winning face-offs
- The last 3 seasons, He’s taken 323, 373, and 928 face-offs going 55.4%, 51.7%, 54.%
Culture
- Detroit plays a puck possession style the Oilers want to emulate.
- He’s played in 105 playoff games and won a Stanley Cup.
- Learned from Yzerman, Lidstrom, Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and Babcock.
Do the Oilers need to get bigger and more physical? Absolutely. But I believe Filppula is a better fit, and would be more effective than Ryan Clowe or David Clarkson on the 2nd line. A 5-year deal for $24.5M is something the Oilers should consider. Anything over $5.25M/ is probably too much.
@NateInVegas #Oilers #UFA #Filppula #RedWings
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