Belov

[nitz]

I thought there would be more an offensive game, that's for sure. However, he's not awful position ally and throws his weight around well enough.

IMO, he's a solid third pairing d-man. Unfortunately, Edmonton has a surplus of those.

 

[syz]

Not sure how you can call the teams 2nd or 3rd best defenseman as a rookie a bad experiment.

Ference has been a bad experiment. Belov has been a serviceable pickup.

 

[thadd]

2/3 of the time his name is brought up on TV, it's a good thing. 1/3 of the time it's a bad thing.

Nick Schultz's name never comes up. I'm pretty sure Belov is better than Nick Schultz, but people vastly overrated him at the beginning of the season.

 

[Hockey Buddha]

It's fairly hard to say. The guy has adjusted well to the North American game, but this whole team is playing without a whole lot of confidence right now, so it's difficult to tell how good he can become, playing on a team with some confidence. He's been reasonably solid; and if anyone would have told me in the summer that he'd come in and out perform Smid, the words, "a failed experiment", would not exactly have been at the forefront of my mind. So no, I wouldn't call him that now. I would like to see him playing with some swagger and bringing some more of the physical play that he's got a reputation for, however.

 

[redgrant]

Hes some much needed size and needs to get a full season under his belt. Has he been great? No. Can the Potters of the world do better? No.

 

[PositiveCashFlow]

I like him... I like the way he's played.

We need more Russians though...Belov, Yakupov, and Bryzgalov aren't enough

 

[AlowlyMcOilersfan]

I think he's solid for a #4 guy.

 

[The Nuge]

I like him... I like the way he's played.

We need more Russians though...Belov, Yakupov, and Bryzgalov aren't enough

Don't forget Dubnykov

 

[harpoon]

Compared to the names Tamby brought us on defense (Belle, Foster, Barker, Strudwick, Arsene, Johnson, Petiot) Belov is a freaking all star.

 

[AlanHUK]

how much will having a goaltender behind him who speaks his first language help him?

 

[Master Lok]

Compared to the names Tamby brought us on defense (Belle, Foster, Barker, Strudwick, Arsene, Johnson, Petiot) Belov is a freaking all star.

that's true. However, Belov has been guilty of a fair amount of defensive mistakes. I'm guessing he will improve as this is only his first year on the NHL ice rink and different size ice rink etc.

 

[Vagabond]

I expected less out of Belov than what he's shown thus far. I like his slapper from the point and his size. He seems to be slowly catching onto the the North American style game. I'd hang onto him for at least another season. I like him as a number 4/5 guy.

Petry in my opinion has been the worst defenseman on this terrible Oilers team in his own zone and gives the puck away on too many occasions. His risk/reward is lacking quite a bit right now. J.Schultz has been disasterous as well in that department.

 

[Nunymare]

Compared to the names Tamby brought us on defense (Belle, Foster, Barker, Strudwick, Arsene, Johnson, Petiot) Belov is a freaking all star.

That list .... cringe

 

[stratedge]

While he could always be better (who can't on this team), he's not completed the transition to the north american game yet. It'll probably take the full season. So while there's a glut of 5/6 defensemen on this club, I'd say he's one of the better bets among them.

 

[The Nuge]

While he could always be better (who can't on this team), he's not completed the transition to the north american game yet. It'll probably take the full season. So while there's a glut of 5/6 defensemen on this club, I'd say he's one of the better bets among them.

I agree. He's also a much more versatile player than say Nick Schultz (who I actually wouldn't mind keeping as well), so if there's an injury in the top 4, he can step in to whatever role is needed and be decent. It's the same reason I like having Potter as a spare dman instead of a guy like Larsen

 

[harpoon]

that's true. However, Belov has been guilty of a fair amount of defensive mistakes. I'm guessing he will improve as this is only his first year on the NHL ice rink and different size ice rink etc.

I hope so too. It would be nice to see the team take an interest in actually developing this guy into a useful part of the d-corps. A player doesn't have to be perfect to be useful.

That list .... cringe

You like that eh
I didn't put Peckham on the list because I liked him and think to a certain extent he's the kind of guy that this team should have spent some more time on. He wasn't perfect but he had some of the tools and with a little sheltering, encouragement and some proper coaching he could have easily turned into a serviceable third pairing guy. Would have solved some of our nasty problem too. But no, this team threw him to the wolves and then threw him away.

Sure hope they don't do the same with Belov.

 

[Up the Irons]

I'd day that he's been OK. give him a B, B-. Like every Oiler Dman, if you could play him where and how he should be, he'd probably do quite well there.

 

[MikeModano9]

He's been decent enough. Better then Smid and N. Schultz(even though I am enjoying the odd open ice hit Schultz has thrown) but I think he'd be a solid #5 or #6 guy. Playing too high in the lineup as per usual with our defense corp.

 

[ohheyhemsky]

He's been okay, but I'm nowhere near sold. I'm surprised people don't see his level of panic, and I think that all has to do with his body positioning while skating. It's slower, but smooth and it never looks like he forces a play, but he does! He does, alot! Next game, watch him try and make a decision on the boards in our own zone. 9/10 times it's on the other team's stick in our, or the immediate neutral zone.

Other than that, he should be on the PP. He has a hell of a shot, but nothing else. It never gets through to the net either, so I just don't see the point.


He's barely a #6 on a good team, but he's a serviceable #3-4 guy on this team.