Detroit Red Wings
Red Wings Prospect Released by Swedish Club
Filppula boldy going for last hurrah
Maxmilian Kilpinen seemed to be an intriguing roll the dice when the Detroit Red Wings were selecting him with the 129th overall pick of the 2022 NHL entry draft. He was coming off a season in which Kilpinen accounted for 14 goals and 25 points in 27 games with Orebo’s team in the Swedish J20 League.
However, it’s looking like that roll of the dice is about to come up snake eyes.
Kilpinen, 21, was given his release this week by Swedish club Modo. The move came following the team’s relegation from the SHL to Hockey Allsvenskan, the Swedish second division.
In point of fact, Kilpinen was a Modo player in name only. He’d spent the 2024-25 season on loan to two clubs – Ostersunds IK of Hockey Allsvenskan and Hudiksvalls HC of HockeyEttan, Sweden’s third division, Splitting 31 games between the two teams, the 6-foot-1, 187-pound center/left-winger was good for two goals, three assists and a minus-five rating.
Kilpinen’s only career SHL action was two pointless games for Modo in 2023-24. The Red Wings will continue to own his NHL rights until June 1, 2026.
Hasek His Own Man
Former Red Wings goalie Dominik Hasek understands that having an opinion isn’t going to make you popular with everyone. That’s especially true in today’s social media world in which keyboard warriors are always in attack mode.
His anti-Russia stance over the country’s invasion of Ukraine, along with his criticism of the NHL has made him a lightning rod for criticism in certain circles.
My message to all ice hockey fans – not just @NHL fans, but especially to people who value human life above an athlete's career. You can find the full article on my website here https://t.co/YiwdnBPHwQ
— Dominik Hasek (@hasek_dominik) March 27, 2025
Ultimately, the only person Hasek feels he must answer to is the man he sees in the mirror every day.
“If I didn’t stand up to it, I would feel bad,” Hasek told Czech website iSport. “I would blame myself.
“Given my sporting background, I am a public figure both in Europe and North America and people want to know my opinions. So I shared them with them.
“If I didn’t do it, especially in this case, when a huge number of human lives and the future of Europe, of course including our country, are at stake, I would feel very bad and would blame myself.”
Former Red Wings Filppula Leading Charge
If this is going to be his last hurrah as a professional player, former Red Wings forward Valtteri Filppula is making the most of it. Back with Jokerit, the Finnish club he left to join the Red Wings in 2005, Filppula is serving as team captain. The 2008 Stanley Cup winner with Detroit is also leading the charge to get his original pro team back in to the SM-liiga, Finland’s top division.
Kapteeni viimeistelee illan kolmannen osuman!
🎥 @MTVUrheilu #Jokerit https://t.co/u46rBTMv3a pic.twitter.com/0vqmodbcIb
— Helsingin Jokerit (@jokerithc) March 28, 2025
Jokerit is leading Iisalmi Peli-Karhut 2-1 in the Mestis championship (Division II) final. Filppula, 41, already has three goals in the three games of this best-of-seven set.
Swiss Club Drops Krupp
The European season isn’t ending as well for another former Red Wings player. Uwe Krupp, a Detroit defenseman from 1998-2002, is looking for work.
Krupp was let go as coach of Swiss club HC Lugano. He was hired by the team on January 14th, replacing Luca Gianinazzi behind the bench.
Joren van Pottelberghe, a 2015 Detroit draftee, is among Lugano’s goalies.
