Red Wings are bringing back Valtteri Filppula

DETROIT – Valtteri Filppula is returning to the Detroit Red Wings.

The team announced Monday that Filppula has signed a two-year contract.

Filppula, 35, was a 3rd-round pick by Detroit back in 2002. He played with the Red Wings between 2005 and 2013 before then-Tampa GM Steve Yzerman signed him to play for the Lightning. Now Yzerman is brining him back to Detroit.

Filppula played for Tampa for a few seasons, then was traded to Philadelphia where he spent a season. This past season he played for the New York Islanders. In 72 games played for the Islanders he had 17 goals and 14 assists.

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Filppula was a big part of the 2008 Stanley Cup team in Detroit with 11 points in 22 playoff games. He followed that with 16 points in 23 playoff games when the Red Wings tried to repeat in 2009. He is a 200-foot player who excels at the faceoff dot. Ken Holland let him walk in 2013, then signed Frans Nielsen to fill the role.

Now they're both in Detroit.

NHL free agency began Monday.