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Fri Oct 30, 2009 2:04 am EDT

Wings lose Filppula for 6-to-8 weeks with broken wrist

By Greg Wyshynski

What a kick in the teeth for the Detroit Red Wings: Center Valtteri Filppula(notes) was hit by Gilbert Brule(notes) in the second period in Edmonton on Thursday night, fell awkwardly and ended up breaking his wrist. He's done for 6-to-8 weeks.

From the Freep:

"It's not good," Henrik Zetterberg(notes) added. "It's tough to lose a player and especially Fil, he plays a lot of minutes and plays in all situations, so it's a tough break for us."

General manager Ken Holland said the team would not be recalling anyone from the minors, as they have enough forwards to go around.

Filppula has been the team's best forward in October, and was a key center especially after Mike Babcock decided to put center Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk(notes) together.

They're going to miss that versatility, as Filppula was spotted in several places in the lineup -- from the middle of Todd Bertuzzi(notes) and Dan Cleary to skating with Ville Leino(notes) and Jason Williams(notes). His offense was heating up, too, with five points in hist last seven games.

Playing the next month and a half without Filppula and Johan Franzen(notes) (out until 2010 with an ACL tear) is going to really challenge this team's scoring depth; and especially players like Justin Abdelkader(notes) and Darren Helm(notes), who haven't gotten rolling yet. (Though Helm did score in the Wings' 6-5 shootout loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night.)

There's more coverage of the injury from Ansar Khan of MLive.com. It's been said that Detroit couldn't catch break this season. Be careful what you wish for, huh?

Related: Ville Leino, Darren Helm, Valtteri Filppula, Pavel Datsyuk, Johan Franzen, Henrik Zetterberg, Todd Bertuzzi, Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton Oilers

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64 Comments

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  1. jozsefas
    1. Posted by jozsefas Fri Oct 30, 2009 2:15 am EDT

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    Almost as many injuries as the Canucks have.
  2. Fox
    2. Posted by Fox Fri Oct 30, 2009 2:24 am EDT

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    Ken Holland even now scraping together $2.75 million from Illich's couch cushions and sweet-talking Dynamo about how good Nylander has looked with the Griffins....
  3. Alex E
    3. Posted by Alex E Fri Oct 30, 2009 2:25 am EDT

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    maybe one of the goalies will get hurt next and they will be forced to get one that can play positionally sound and stop the puck
  4. Travis H
    4. Posted by Travis H Fri Oct 30, 2009 2:28 am EDT

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    they lost like 4 or 5 key players via free agency (Hudler and Hossa most notably).. Then Franzen, and then Filppula..
    i dont know.. Good luck detroit.
  5. Ron L. Detroit Sports Nut!
    5. Posted by Ron L. Detroit Sports Nut! Fri Oct 30, 2009 2:57 am EDT

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    Just a minor setback for the team, but a huge pain for the player. It sucks anytime a player suffers a painful or long term injury. Hopefully for Filppula he heals up nicely, and isn't bothered by it long term.
    As for the Wings, the team has enough depth to overcome the loss. As poorly as the Red Wings record mat look on paper, this team is getting closer to getting into sync with all the player changes. Another 5 or 6 games from now, I expect them to start winning consistantly and dominating teams like they have been known to do over the years.
  6. Bonay
    6. Posted by Bonay Fri Oct 30, 2009 3:06 am EDT

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    Now if Osgood could just trip over Howard and blow out his groin while breaking Jimmy's arm, the Wings would be in good shape.
    No scoring + horrible goaltending. Not an ideal situation.
  7. HotStacey
    7. Posted by HotStacey Fri Oct 30, 2009 3:07 am EDT

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    can we seriously just skip this year? i've had enough
  8. Coach Isiah Thompson
    8. Posted by Coach Isiah Thompson Fri Oct 30, 2009 3:16 am EDT

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    Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!
  9. Brian C
    9. Posted by Brian C Fri Oct 30, 2009 4:58 am EDT

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    Bonay - where are you going to find decent golatending - starting and backup - for under a combined 2.7 mill a season? Detroit can't afford Osgood and Howard to go out long term and have to find replacements and pay them. They are really kind of stuck with this goalie situation until it improves.
  10. sbabbitt11
    10. Posted by sbabbitt11 Fri Oct 30, 2009 6:36 am EDT

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    Goaltending has not been good,maybe Detroit should have grabbed up Manny Legace before he signed with the Chicago Wolves.
  11. MAC
    11. Posted by MAC Fri Oct 30, 2009 6:43 am EDT

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    Great, now brûlée is ruining other careers beside his own.
  12. Pavel
    12. Posted by Pavel Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:10 am EDT

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    "General manager Ken Holland said the team would not be recalling anyone from the minors, as they have enough forwards to go around." That seems to be how the forwards play, "going around," while the other team scores. Tough season to be a Wings fan.
  13. Pensfan71
    13. Posted by Pensfan71 Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:42 am EDT

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    As a pens fan I find it hard to have any pity for Detroit, but geez tough loss.
  14. DON_DOC_IN
    14. Posted by DON_DOC_IN Fri Oct 30, 2009 8:01 am EDT

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    Ron L................"minor setback"?????????Sorry man, but there are no signs of this team dominating anyone. To lose what they did in free agency and then Franzen and Fippula to injury.............There is no help on the way buddy. Not to mention Howard. Ok, I wanted to watch him before I judge. I have seen enough. He has the worst net coverage I have ever seen by a NHL goalie. I was shocked last night to see him flounder around.
    I hated bringing Burtuzzi back and he has only confirmed my thoughts. Brutal. Holland HAS to make some moveS. Not a move, but multiple moves. Not sure he can do what is needed. He is going to have to really earn his $ this year if he can turn the Wings around.
  15. lmiller75
    15. Posted by lmiller75 Fri Oct 30, 2009 8:19 am EDT

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    Worst looking Red Wings team since the late 1980's. Its painful to watch. I guess we've just been spoiled for the past 20 years or so. I'm not certain that they'll even make the playoffs this year. Sad.
  16. beer_man_beer_here
    16. Posted by beer_man_beer_here Fri Oct 30, 2009 8:28 am EDT

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    I was talking to my old man about the Wings before the game last night and was telling him how I think Filpula is going to have a break out year...
  17. Hazen
    17. Posted by Hazen Fri Oct 30, 2009 8:58 am EDT

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    we will be there in the end............hey hey hockeytown
  18. Hazen
    18. Posted by Hazen Fri Oct 30, 2009 9:02 am EDT

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    hey pensfan71....never liked your team..i love the steelers and your city drinks a lot of my beer..see you in the late spring for the greatest rubber match ever.......
  19. kennywood™
    19. Posted by kennywood™ Fri Oct 30, 2009 9:18 am EDT

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    @Ron L...you're clearly a delusional homer to the extreme. I'm as big a die hard Wings fan as anyone, but this is yet another major setback on a team that really cannot afford another setback. To date, this season, they've looked incredibly average and the imminent future doesn't look very bright. They are giving up far too many goals early and then finding themselves in a hole they need to struggle out of for the rest of the game. In addition to woeful defensive play, the goaltending has looked atrocious at times. I knew this was going to be a rough year going in, after losing so much fire power in the off season, but what I'm seeing is surprisingly bad. The free agency losses the Wings suffered weren't addressed at all (then again you can't just run out and replace 130 some goals just like that), and it's showing. I think it's going to be a long year.
  20. kennywood™
    20. Posted by kennywood™ Fri Oct 30, 2009 9:18 am EDT

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    @Ron L...you're clearly a delusional homer to the extreme. I'm as big a die hard Wings fan as anyone, but this is yet another major setback on a team that really cannot afford another setback. To date, this season, they've looked incredibly average and the imminent future doesn't look very bright. They are giving up far too many goals early and then finding themselves in a hole they need to struggle out of for the rest of the game. In addition to woeful defensive play, the goaltending has looked atrocious at times. I knew this was going to be a rough year going in, after losing so much fire power in the off season, but what I'm seeing is surprisingly bad. The free agency losses the Wings suffered weren't addressed at all (then again you can't just run out and replace 130 some goals just like that), and it's showing. I think it's going to be a long year.
  21. MTL_WINGS
    21. Posted by MTL_WINGS Fri Oct 30, 2009 9:34 am EDT

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    Not good for business. The first half of that game last night was downright brutal to watch. I'm convinced that it's because the roster is much changed and players have yet to hit their stride because I've never seen them play that sloppy before but boy, I'm finding it hard to keep believing that.
    This is a real kick in the nuts though. This is going to show us what the wings are made of this year.
  22. Lukas S
    22. Posted by Lukas S Fri Oct 30, 2009 9:42 am EDT

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    This %#@^ing sucks huge. Fil was primed for a huge year. I agree with the posts on here, the loss of production due to free agency was not addressed (Adequately at least), and Val was conunted on to make up for it. What a luxury he was, play anywhere, a coach's dream really.
    I think now, unfortunately, Holland's hand has been forced to make a move of some kind. The goaltending has been trash, and I just hope they dont let the slide continue for too long because the Olympic break will be here before Wings fans know it, and half the friggin roster is headed to Vancouver for God Sake. I get a bad feelin'.
    On a positive note (if there can be any), Helm scored a gem of a goal vs .Edmonton and will now get every opportunity to prove his worth, ditto for Abdelkader. In the coming weeks we will see just exactly how deep this organization is.
  23. diehard_wings_fan134096
    23. Posted by diehard_wings_fan134096 Fri Oct 30, 2009 9:48 am EDT

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    yeehah more good news to wake up to in the morning.......
  24. Zoom
    24. Posted by Zoom Fri Oct 30, 2009 9:49 am EDT

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    Well MTL_WINGS.... could not agree more.... but I must say the first month of this season has been a real torture to watch.. As Wings fans we all must agree that the last 18 yrs has been a treat for us and I am not saying we wont be there in the end for the playoffs or they cant get up off the mat with the start they have had cause i do believe in Mike Babcock and the orginization as a whole but wow... Could be a rougher year then we are use to that is for sure. No flow in their game... and most of the time no act of spirit or urgency in their play either. Franze and Fil being out is going to be a tough deal. I guess we will see what Helm, Leino, Abdelkader, Williams, and Bertuzzi are made of now...Cause it is time to step up or sit down..
  25. fletch81
    25. Posted by fletch81 Fri Oct 30, 2009 9:55 am EDT

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    @sbabbit - "sign Legace"? How much hockey have you watched in your lifetime (specifically Red Wings)? Lest you forget, the Wings had Legace for a few years and he couldn't catch a cold in the playoffs, let alone win a game. I will gladly take my chances with the current "goalies" than Legace. Good grief, Legace is an abomination in goal.

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