Eric Belanger question from a Devils Fan.

by RolliePollieKovy on May 29, 2010 4:59 PM CDT

Eric Belanger insight from the Wild fans.
Please read on....

Over at In Lou We Trust we have started to talk about free agency and what the Devils should do with their money with or without Ilya Kovalchuk on the team. I myself have discussed centers that would best fill the Devils need without including Patrick Marleau and Tomas Plekanec. Centers I brought up were Matt Cullen, Jeff Halpern, Chris Higgins, Jim Slater, and Eric Belanger. Belanger to me seems like the perfect addidion to a defense orienated team. Hearing about Belanger's great two way game and how he can still put up points I have grown to hope that Lou signs him. One question that has arose from the fanpost is about Belanger's offensive capabilities. I believe that once Belanger plays with Elias and maybe Clarkson or a FA we don't know yet that Belanger will start to click. I want to get some insight from you guys on which position Belanger mostly played and what linemates he played with.

Poll

Could Eric Belanger be a good fit for the Devils?

Yes

21 votes

No

2 votes

23 votes | Poll has closed

The opinions posted here are not those of Hockey Wilderness

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Comments

Bella would be a great fit for the Devils.

As for his offensive capabilities, it’s not necessarily his calling card. He did have his best point total of his career this season if I’m not mistaken and in the beginning of the season, he was the only one putting points on the board for us. He spent a lot of time on the second because we didn’t have better, but once we acquired Ebbett and Latendresse, he was our third line center. His linemates weren’t really set in stone at any point of the season if I remember correctly, but he did play with Nolan a lot. He’s a really good two-way center who’s just magnificent on faceoffs, which is VERY important on a defense-oriented team. I think NJ should jump on him.

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by JSLandry on May 30, 2010 7:22 PM CDT reply actions

Ok thanks for the input. I was hoping one comment would occur.. lol

"Hockey is a sport for white men. Basketball is a sport for black men. Golf is a sport for white men dressed like black pimps."- Tiger Woods

by RolliePollieKovy on May 31, 2010 12:24 PM CDT reply actions

Haha yeah, sorry it took a while :P

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by JSLandry on May 31, 2010 1:31 PM CDT up reply actions

Here is the deal with Bleanger. He thinks he is a top line center, but is best suited as a third line guy, filling in on the second line if there are injuries. He is phenomenal in the face off circle, but has little in the way of play making or shooting ability. From all accounts, he is whiny in the locker room, constantly in a bad mood, and not much of a leader.

All that said, maybe he fits, but I wouldn’t want my team to spend much on him, and he has a very high value of himself.

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by BReynolds on Jun 4, 2010 12:22 AM CDT reply actions

Well, G-Lat said that Bella was the most helpful in his adaptation with the Wild...

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by JSLandry on Jun 4, 2010 6:35 PM CDT up reply actions

Likely because he speaks French. ;-)

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by BReynolds on Jun 5, 2010 12:34 AM CDT up reply actions

Whiny in the locker room?

Where did you read that? I never got that impression from Belanger…

by danccchan on Jun 4, 2010 10:17 PM CDT up reply actions

More of the read-between-the-lines kind of things. In the handful of games I covered live, he was never in the locker room after the game. Russo always wrote about how “happy” Belanger always was. His teammates had nicknames like “Mr. Sunshine” and such for him. Most of it was meant in jest, but he never struck anyone as being a happy kind of guy.

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by BReynolds on Jun 5, 2010 12:37 AM CDT up reply actions

Wow thanks.

Interesting. Belanger didn’t strike me as whiny when he was with Washington for a sort time.

"Hockey is a sport for white men. Basketball is a sport for black men. Golf is a sport for white men dressed like black pimps."- Tiger Woods

by RolliePollieKovy on Jun 5, 2010 3:29 PM CDT reply actions

I doubt anyone would be whiny as a 2C or 3C in Washington ;)

Belanger wasn’t suited to the Caps’ run and gun attack, that’s for sure, even with super talented linemates. He was a solid 3C and I wish the Caps would try and re-sign him. Oh well.

If the Devils are looking for offense, then Belanger is not the guy. Not exactly a PP guy either.

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by red army line on Jun 6, 2010 7:28 AM CDT up reply actions