Detroit Red Wings
Final Tie to Red Wings Last Cup Winner Hangs up Blades
Filppula retires from game
Another indication of the decline and fall of the Detroit Red Wings became readily apparent on Tuesday. Veteran forward Valtteri Filppula announced his retirement as a player.
“One of the greatest Finnish hockey players of all time, Valtteri Filppula, is ending his playing career,” his Finnish club Jokerit posted on the social media site X.
Yksi kaikkien aikojen suomalaisista jääkiekkoilijoista, Valtteri Filppula, päättää pelaajauransa.
Stanley Cup, olympiakulta, maailmanmestaruus – ja viimeiseksi Mestis-mestaruus Jokeri-kapteenina.
Kiitos, Valle. ❤️💛#Jokerit pic.twitter.com/TOIhCsMVtp
— Helsingin Jokerit (@jokerithc) April 29, 2025
“Stanley Cup, Olympic gold, world championship – and finally the Mestis championship at Jokerit.”
Filppula, 41, was the last remaining active player from the 2007-08 Stanley Cup champion Red Wings team.
Filppula joined Jokerit this season, seeking to help his old club earn promotion. He was captain of the team and played without taking a salary.
“It was great to play,” Filppula told Finnish TV network MTV. “I’m happy that I decided to continue the season.”
Filppula played for the Red Wings from 2005-13 and again from 2019-21. He won a Stanley Cup with Detroit in 2007-08. In total, he appeared in 1,056 NHL games.
Red Wings Player Made Hockey History
Filppula is also among 30 players who are members of the triple gold club. He’s captained Finland to gold-medal performances at the Winter Olympics and the IIHF World Hockey Championship.
However, when he was hoisting the Champions Hockey League trophy aloft in 2024, Filppula was joining a club of which he is the only member. No player previously was showing Stanley Cup, Olympic and world titles and a Champions League crown on their hockey resumes.
Valtteri Filppula is calling it a career after 1,056 NHL games! 🫡 pic.twitter.com/X3Gor3UARJ
— NHL (@NHL) April 29, 2025
“I am happy to join other big European names with my record,” Filppula told RTSsport.ch. “I was lucky to be able to play for so long and to have been part of teams capable of winning. It makes me proud.”
