The Detroit Red Wings announced the signing today of Valtteri Filppula's older brother, Ilari, to a two-way, one-year contract.
The deal is worth $500,00 at the NHL level and $105,000 if he stays in Grand Rapids next season. According to the Free Press, Filppula will get a crack at a roster spot in training camp. Here's more from the Free Press article:
Ilari Filppula is a 5-foot-11, 191-pound forward who played the previous two seasons for TPS Turku of the Finnish Elite League. In 2009-10, Filppula finished ninth in the league in scoring with 49 points (12-37) in 58 games. He won the Jari Kurri Award as the Finnish Elite League’s playoff MVP, scoring two goals and adding 12 assists in 15 postseason games, helping TPS Turku capture its first SM-liiga title since 2000-01.
Filppula, 28, is expected to fill out the Grand Rapids roster, so don't expect him up with the big boys right away. Unless he really impresses in training camp, chances are we won't be seeing a Filppula-to-Filppula connection anytime soon.
Here's his numbers from the FEL, via hockeydb.com