Red Wings sign C Filppula

Jul 30, 2008 - 4:50 PM DETROIT (Ticker) -- The Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday signed 24-year-old free agent center Valtteri Filppula to a five-year contract.

Financial terms were not disclosed, but TSN of Canada reported that the deal is worth $15 million.

The native of Finland is entering his third full season with the Red Wings after being taken by the team in the third round of the 2002 draft. Last season, he recorded 19 goals and 17 assists in 78 games.

Filppula became the first Red Wing to score on two penalty shots in the same season since Steve Yzerman in 1992. He scored against Nashville's Dan Ellis on December 10, and just five days later converted against Florida's Tomas Vokoun.

Despite battling injuries, Filppula appeared in all 22 playoff games during Detroit's run to the Stanley Cup. He registered 11 points in the postseason, including a goal in the Red Wings' Cup-clinching victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins.