panoo

Posted by Ansar Khan
July 02, 2007 11:13AM

Valtteri Filppula is poised to make the jump from third- and fourth-line supporting player to second-line center next season. He has good speed and tremendous skills, but opinions are divided within the organization about whether he can produce enough offense to play on the second line or whether his defensive abilities make him better suited for a checking line.

He certainly has the ability to make spectacular plays. His first NHL goal on Oct. 28, 2006, in St. Louis, came when he took a pass from Kris Draper, skated around a Blues defender and deposited a nifty backhand shot past Manny Legace.

Filppula has been saying for a couple of years that his shot is the weakest part of his game. If he develops a better finishing touch, he has the chance to be a really good all-around player. His ability to carry the puck through traffic at full speed is reminiscent of teammate Henrik Zetterberg. And Filppula's defensive awareness makes him a reliable penalty-killer. Coaches and teammates also like his maturity level.

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