Former 2008 Red Wings Stanley Cup winner hangs up the skates

A notable Red Wings alumni member, who fans still well remember helping them to the 2008 Stanley Cup championship, has officially decided to hang up the skates.

Forward Valtteri Filppula, who was a key contributor to Detroit's 2008 Stanley Cup win and their subsequent run to within a single victory of repeating in 2009, has announced his retirement from professional hockey.

Filppula, who the Red Wings took with the 95th overall pick in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, enjoyed 2 separate tenures with Detroit during his NHL career; he also played for the Tampa Bay Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers and New York Islanders.

During Detroit's run to the 2008 Stanley Cup, Filppula had 11 points (5G, 6A) in 22 playoff games, helping the Red Wings win their 1st title since 2002; he also scored 16 points (3G, 13A) in 23 playoff games in 2009, though the Red Wings unfortunately lost in Game 7 of the Cup Final to the Penguins, whom they'd defeated the year prior.

He finished his NHL career with 530 points (197G, 333A) in 1,056 games.

He's also the 1st Finnish native to be included in hockey's prestigious Triple Gold Club (winning the Stanley Cup, an Olympic Gold Medal, and a World Championship Gold Medal.)

After his 2nd tenure with the Red Wings ended in 2021, he returned overseas and signed with Genève-Servette Hockey Club of the Swiss National League. He played with the club for 3 years before before joining Jokerit of the Finnish Mestis League for his last professional season of play.