Wings Insider – Filppula adjusts to life on the left wing
By Dave Waddell –
The pre-season is for tinkering, but one experiment that will survive into the regular season is the shifting of center Valtteri Filppula to left wing.
Filppula has been flanking center Henrik Zetterberg on a line that also includes Johan Franzen and has responded with two goals and six points in four exhibition games.
“That’s the talk we’ve had now,” Filppula said of where he’ll start the season.
“I can always go back to center if needed. I think that’s the start, having me play wing.
“I’ve played some wing before. It’s not that new.”
What is new is playing with Zetterberg. When he’s been shifted to wing in the past, Filppula has generally ridden shot gun for Pavel Datsyuk.
“Not so much, 10 to 15 games maybe,” Zetterberg said of how frequently he’s been on a line with Filppula.
“Most of the time we both play center. The other times I play with Pav.”
Noting Filppula’s arrival in the locker next door, Zetterberg playfully pokes at old Scandinavian rivalries in offering suggestions how his Finnish neighbor can improve.
“It’ll take a little while until he learns Swedish and then it’ll be easier,” Zetterberg said. “I think we read off each other pretty good.
“We’ve seen each other play up close for many years now. We kind of play the same style of hockey. He’s an easy player to play with.”
Listening to Zetterberg verbally toss down the gauntlet, Filppula admits he’s willing to make some major adjustments but draws the line on going over to the dark side on the language issue to accommodate his Swedish linemates.
“I understand it (Swedish) pretty well, just don’t talk it,” Filppula said.
The language the trio does share is hockey.
“I’ve played in the past a lot with Mule (Franzen),” said Filppula, explaining the line’s quick chemistry.
“He’s a big guy and really good with the puck. He has a great shot.
“We have a great chance to create offense. So far in the pre-season it has been going in for us a little bit.”
The more intriguing question is how does playing with Zetterberg compare to the unpredictable Pavel Datsyuk? Filppula said they may look like they’re playing different games, but they’re the same.
“They’re both great with the puck,” Filppula said. “They both make great plays. It’s a lot of fun to play with him. He can really pass and he can score.”
The bigger adjustment has come in the technical aspects of playing wing. Filppula admits he’s still not entirely comfortable in that area.
“Center is where I feel a little more comfortable,” Filppula said. “Our end is different and being the first guy on the forecheck when you play wing are the biggest differences. I feel there’s still work to do.
“I feel like in our own end, I don’t always know exactly what to do. I have to get used to playing wing there.”
Zetterberg said it’s no problem having two natural centers on a line. In fact, European-born players are used to the interchanging of positions.
“When me and Pav play together, 90 percent of the time I’m the centerman, but everyone thinks it’s the other way around,” Zetterberg said.
“The way we do it, we read off each other. I take most of the face-offs. But whoever is first back plays center that shift. It comes natural. That’s the way we do it back home, you play both wing and center.”
The knock on Filppula is he doesn’t shoot the puck enough. He’s worked on improving his shot each summer and Zetterberg has picked up the torch of nagging him during games to fire the puck at the net.
“I just told him before the power play (goal he scored) to shoot,” Zetterberg said. “He should listen more to me.”
However, playing with a pair of natural goal scorers in Zetterberg and Franzen, Filppula knows he’ll have to fight for his shots.
When he teases that Zetterberg and Franzen don’t like to shoot enough, his Swedish neighbor jumps in to point out he’s been among the league leaders in shots over the past four seasons, averaging over 300 attempts on net a year.
“Hank and Mule really can score,” Filppula said. “I’d have to say if I have to pick between pass and shoot, I’ll probably give it to them. When I have a chance I have to shoot it too. A lot of goals nowadays are coming off second chances and rebounds.”
Over the course of his career, Filppula has produced nicely when shifted to the wing. He expects he’ll get plenty of chances again with Zetterberg as his pivot.
“When I played wing, usually I played with Pavel, so you’re going to get more chances out of that,” Filppula said. “I think playing wing you can definitely be a little more offensive minded.
“Especially on the wing, you’re going more one-against-one against defensemen. If you’re a center, a lot of times you’re going against everybody. At wing, there should be a little more opportunity.”