On the offensive side, Belpedio has thrown 61 pucks on net at a rate of 3.81 per game, a career high (he attempted 70 shots as a freshman in 40 games). His junior season saw his best shooting efficiency, 10.5 percent, in a year that was shortened to 24 games due to an undisclosed injury. He's particularly deadly from near the top of the left circle.
But defensemen should play defense. In a goal-hungry league like the NHL, watching stat lines is sometimes confused with scouting. While some have called Belpedio “Jared Spurgeon, 2.0,” there's another name that he feels he's modeled his game after, and why he wears the No. 58 whilst patrolling the blue paint.
“Some of the best defensemen in the NHL don't put up a ton of numbers,” Belpedio said when asked about the offensive-defenseman. “When you're looked at as a skill guy though, you kind of have to play the part. … You see a guy that's on a power play, you expect them to score and get assists. … (In that regard) I try to play exactly like Kris Letang.”
Yeah, I read the comments in there earlier and just didn't have the heart to be a naysayer while everyone's being so optimistic about him, not even questioning the likelihood of him signing. I feel like every time I read the comments at The Athletic these days, the Wild fans are all grumpy, so I'll let the joy remain pure.
