Valtteri Filppula facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Valtteri Filppula
Filppula in 2016
Born	(1984-03-20) 20 March 1984 (age 41) Vantaa, Finland
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position	Centre
Shoots	Left
Mestis team Former teams	Jokerit Detroit Red Wings Tampa Bay Lightning Philadelphia Flyers New York Islanders Genève-Servette HC
National team	Finland
NHL Draft	95th overall, 2002 Detroit Red Wings
Playing career	2003–present

Valtteri Filppula (born March 20, 1984) is a professional ice hockey player from Finland. He plays as a forward for Jokerit in the Mestis league in Finland.

Valtteri is a very successful player. He won the famous Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings in 2008. He also led Finland to a gold medal at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Later that year, he helped Finland win the 2022 IIHF World Championship. These big wins made him the first Finnish player to join the special Triple Gold Club. This club includes players who have won an Olympic gold medal, a World Championship gold medal, and the Stanley Cup.

Valtteri Filppula's Hockey Journey

Valtteri Filppula has had a long and exciting career in ice hockey. He has played for several teams in the NHL in North America and also in Europe.

Playing for the Detroit Red Wings (2005–2013)

Filppula with the Detroit Red Wings in February 2008

The Detroit Red Wings chose Valtteri in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. He was the 95th player picked overall. He started his hockey journey with the Jokerit team in Finland. By the 2003–04 season, he was a regular player for their top team.

In 2005, Filppula moved to North America. He played for the Grand Rapids Griffins, which is a team connected to the Red Wings. On December 15, 2005, he played his very first NHL game for the Red Wings. He was the first Finnish player ever to play for Detroit in the NHL.

Valtteri scored his first NHL goal on October 28, 2006. He then scored his first playoff goal in April 2007. In the 2007–08 season, he helped the Red Wings win the Stanley Cup. They beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games. Valtteri scored an important goal in the final game that helped them win.

After this big win, he signed a new five-year contract with Detroit in 2008.

Time with the Tampa Bay Lightning (2013–2017)

Flippula as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning in December 2014

On July 5, 2013, Valtteri signed a five-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He joined them as a free agent, meaning his contract with Detroit had ended.

While playing for the Lightning, he reached some big milestones. On December 1, 2014, he got his 200th NHL assist. An assist is when a player helps set up a goal. On January 6, 2015, he played in his 600th NHL game. This shows how long and successful his career has been.

Moving to the Philadelphia Flyers (2017–2018)

The Lightning traded Valtteri to the Philadelphia Flyers on March 1, 2017. This trade helped the Lightning manage their team's salary.

Valtteri played his first game for the Flyers on March 2. He scored a goal in that game, helping his new team win. Before the 2017–18 season, the Flyers chose Valtteri to be an alternate captain. This means he was one of the team's leaders.

Filppula prepares to take a face-off in December 2019

Playing for the New York Islanders (2018–2019)

On July 1, 2018, Valtteri signed a one-year contract with the New York Islanders. During the 2018–19 season, he showed he could play well in any forward position. He scored 17 goals and had 14 assists for the Islanders. He also helped them reach the second round of the playoffs.

Back with the Detroit Red Wings (2019–2021)

Valtteri returned to the Detroit Red Wings on July 1, 2019, signing a two-year contract. On February 1, 2020, he played in his 1,000th career NHL game. He was only the eighth Finnish-born player to reach this amazing milestone.

Playing in Switzerland (2021–2024)

On August 24, 2021, Valtteri joined Genève-Servette HC in Switzerland. He played in the National League there. He helped his team win the 2023 National League Championship.

Return to Jokerit (2024–)

In August 2024, Valtteri Filppula came back to his old team, Jokerit, in Finland. He signed a one-year contract. At the same time, he also became one of the owners of the club. He announced that he would not take any salary for the season. Valtteri was also named the team captain. Another player, Leevi Lemberg, even changed his jersey number so Valtteri could have his familiar number 51.

International Hockey Achievements

Filppula (number 51) battling for faceoff against Germany at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Medal record
Representing  Finland
Ice hockey
Winter Olympics
Gold	2022 Beijing
Bronze	2010 Vancouver
World Championships
Gold	2022 Finland
World Junior Championships
Bronze	2003 Canada
Bronze	2004 Finland

Valtteri has proudly represented Finland in many international hockey tournaments. He was the captain of Finland's team at the World Under-18 Championships in 2002. He also won bronze medals at the World Junior Championships in 2003 and 2004.

He played for Finland at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, where they won a bronze medal. He even scored a goal in the bronze medal game.

Valtteri was chosen to play in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. However, he got an ankle injury and could not play in the games.

In 2016, he played for Finland in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. He scored Finland's only goal in that tournament.

Valtteri was the captain of the Finnish Olympic team that won the gold medal at the 2022 Winter Olympics. He was also chosen to carry Finland's flag in the opening ceremony. After winning the 2022 World Championship, he became the first Finnish player to join the exclusive Triple Gold Club.

Personal Life

Valtteri Filppula has an older brother named Ilari Filppula, who is also a professional ice hockey player.

Awards and Honors