Ilari Filppula | |||
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Born |
Vantaa, Finland |
November 5, 1981 ||
Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||
Weight | 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb) | ||
Position | Centre | ||
Shoots | Left | ||
SHL team Former teams |
Malmö Redhawks JYP Jyväskylä TPS Grand Rapids Griffins Jokerit CSKA Moscow HC Lugano Modo Hockey |
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NHL Draft | Undrafted | ||
Playing career | 2001–present |
Ilari Filppula (born November 5, 1981) is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Malmö Redhawks of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He is the older brother of Valtteri Filppula of the Philadelphia Flyers.
Filppula started his pro career in Kiekko-Vantaa, in the Finnish lower leagues, and after two years with JYP, he spent a season with Jokerit, and then returned to JYP with a two-year contract. In 2008, he signed a 2-year contract with TPS. Filppula won the Jari Kurri trophy in 2010.
On June 15, 2010, Filppula signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Detroit Red Wings. The Red Wings assigned Filppula to their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, during training camp. In his first season in North America, Filppula participated in the AHL All-Star game and finished the season first on the Grand Rapids Griffins in assists and points.
Despite leading the Griffins with 64 points, Filppula was not given an opportunity in the NHL with the Red Wings and on May 19, 2011, he returned to Finland with Jokerit, signing a four-year deal. In 2013 he signed a one-year contract with HC CSKA Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League.
At the completion of the 2013–14 season, Filppula left the KHL to sign a two-year contract with Swiss club, HC Lugano of the National League A on April 8. 2014. In the final year of his contract in Lugano, Filppula moved in a mid-season transfer to the SHL, signing for the remainder of the 2015–16 campaign with Modo Hockey.