The Red Wings have signed forward Ilari Filppula, a free agent from Finland and the older brother of current Wings player Valtteri Filppula, according to MLive's Ansar Khan.
"He adds some depth to our organization,'' Red Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill said. "His career has blossomed in the last 2-3 years. He was one of the better players in Finland. It's time to see if he can play in the best league in the world.''
Ilari Filppula's deal is worth $500,000 for one year. He is being brought in to compete for a spot on the Wings' roster, although he apparently has no problem playing for Grand Rapids if he doesn't make the NHL club.
Per Khan, Filppula has played in the Finnish League his entire career and was the playoff MVP this past season.