Finnish forward Valtteri Filppula, the first Finn to become a member of the Triple Gold Club by virtue of his 2008 Stanley Cup, and Olympic and World Championship titles both in 2022, today confirmed his retirement following at the age of 41.

Starting his career in Jokerit Helsinki’s youth system, Filppula would spend his first two senior seasons with the Jesters before heading to North America. A 2002 third round pick of Detroit, Filppula joined the Red Wings system in 2005, becoming a full-time player by his third of eight seasons in the Motor City, helping lead the Wings to a Stanley Cup in 2008. Filppula would sign with Tampa as a free agent in 2013, spending four seasons with the Lightning, followed by short stints with the Flyers and Islanders, before returning to the Wings in 2019 for his final two NHL seasons, hitting 1,000 games played in 2020. He joined Genève-Servette HC of the Swiss NLA in 2021, capturing an NLA title in 2023 and Champions Hockey League title in 2024, before signing with Jokerit as their captain for the 2024-25 season, ending his career in a full-circle moment with his original youth club. Over his 22 pro seasons between the U.S., Switzerland and Finland, Filppula would notch 279 goals and 765 points in 1,361 career games, along with another 126 points in 213 playoff games.

A native of Vantaa, Filppula debuted for the Leijonat at the 2002 Under-18 championships, participating at both the 2003 and 2004 World Junior Championships, capturing Bronze at both. Debuting for the senior team in the 2004-05 NHL lockout season, Filppula would not make his major tournament debut until the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, capturing a Bronze medal. He would debut at the World Championships in 2012, his first of just three appearances (2012, 2017, 2022); it was in 2022 where he captained the Leijonat to just the second Gold “double” in history (after Sweden in 2006), first winning Finland’s first Olympic title in Beijing, followed by their fourth World title on home ice in Tampere just three months later, making him the 31st player to join the Triple Gold Club. Filppula would also participate in three Euro Hockey Tours, as well as at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

Over the course of his career, Filppula would capture the IHLC only five times, with his first and final title both coming on Finnish ice, the former at the 2004 World Juniors in Hämeenlinna, the latter in the lead-up to their 2002 Gold medal in Tampere. We wish Valtteri and his family the very best for his retirement and the things to come!

Photo Credit: IIHF Worlds 2022 – IIHF – HHOF – IOC