Valtteri Filppula (© Kim Klement-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/992dd7b0-9343-4414-aa68-96a472baf067.jpeg] Valtteri Filppula (© Kim Klement-Imagn Images) Former Tampa Bay Lightning [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning] forward Valtteri Filppula has officially retired from professional hockey. Filppula's 2024-25 team, Jokerit of the Finnish league, Mestis, made the announcement [https://x.com/jokerithc/status/1917169971165069771]. Filppula, 41, had a strong season with Jokerit, posting 14 goals, 41 points, and a plus-25 rating. While he clearly showed that he still has skill this season, he has decided to hang up the skates. Filppula joined the Lightning [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqLQgKIidDQklTRndnTWFoTUtFWFJvWldodlkydGxlVzVsZDNNdVkyOXRLQUFQAQ/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwruDfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA:en] during the 2013 NHL off-season after playing his eight previous seasons with the Detroit Red Wings. Fippula put together a strong four-year tenure with the Lightning, recording 52 goals, 119 assists, and 171 points in 292 games. He also scored a career-high 25 goals and had 58 points in 75 games with the Bolts in 2013-14. Filppula was selected by the Red Wings with the 95th overall pick of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. In 1,056 career NHL games split between the Red Wings, Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers, and New York Islanders, he had 197 goals, 333 assists, and 530 points. His final season in the NHL was in 2020-21 with Detroit, and he played his final four professional hockey seasons overseas. Recent Lightning News Lightning Coach Jon Cooper Is Sick Of Talking About Dirty Hits [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/03091620-6bfd-4301-a357-4a799414e50a.jpeg] Lightning Coach Jon Cooper Is Sick Of Talking About Dirty Hits Game 4 was an incredibly frustrating one for the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning">Tampa Bay Lightning</a>. After being up 2-1, the Lightning allowed three unanswered goals to the Florida Panthers in the third period and lost by a 4-2 final score. With this, the <a href="https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqLQgKIidDQklTRndnTWFoTUtFWFJvWldodlkydGxlVzVsZDNNdVkyOXRLQUFQAQ/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwruDfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA:en">Lightning</a> are now down 3-1 in the series and need to win their next three games to advance to the second round. If they are unsuccessful in doing so, it will mark the end of their season. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/latest-news/lightning-coach-jon-cooper-is-sick-of-talking-about-dirty-hits] Lightning's Brandon Hagel Exits After Receiving High Hit [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/d1615299-b2eb-4f97-9656-dc3ff5e05563.jpeg] Lightning's Brandon Hagel Exits After Receiving High Hit During the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning">Tampa Bay Lightning</a>'s Game 4 matchup against the Florida Panthers, star forward Brandon Hagel exited after receiving a high hit from defenseman Aaron Ekblad. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/latest-news/lightnings-brandon-hagel-exits-after-receiving-high-hit] Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy Named Finalist For Top Award [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/1c28c220-22e2-454e-a44b-4dd0818e41b0.jpeg] Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy Named Finalist For Top Award The NHL has announced that <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning">Tampa Bay Lightning</a> goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy has been <a href="https://x.com/NHL/status/1916870022703595767?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet">named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy</a>. In addition to Vasilevskiy, Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck and Los Angeles Kings netminder Darcy Kuemper are finalists for the award. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/latest-news/lightnings-andrei-vasilevskiy-named-finalist-for-top-award] Lightning's Nikita Kucherov Joins Elite Company After Huge Game [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/277c8e3a-0a71-4e34-9f5c-6a873d973579.jpeg] Lightning's Nikita Kucherov Joins Elite Company After Huge Game The <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning">Tampa Bay Lightning</a> picked up a massive 5-1 win over the Florida Panthers in Game 3 of their first-round series. This was undoubtedly needed for the <a href="https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwruDfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen">Lightning</a>, as a loss would have put them down 3-0 in the series. Instead, they only trail 2-1 now and have the chance to tie up the series in Game 4 with another victory. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/tampa-bay-lightning/latest-news/lightnings-nikita-kucherov-joins-elite-company-after-huge-game]
