Former Oilers defenseman Anton Belov has signed a four-year deal with the KHL's SKA St. Petersburg, citing an unwillingness to play under head coach Dallas Eakins as part of the reason for not returning to Edmonton.
“There is no one reason that made it an abrupt change,” said Belov, according to Pavel Lysenkov of Sovetsky Sports, via the Edmonton Sun.
“It was all building up during the season, especially moreso after the Olympics. And the hire of coach [Vyacheslav] Bykov [at SKA] was also an influence. The other point is that I could have re-signed with Edmonton, but I didn’t want to stay with that coach.”
The 27-year-old appeared in 57 games for the Oilers during the 2013-14 regular season while signed to a one-year entry-level deal, registering one goal and six assists with an average ice time of 16:41.
He was also named to Russia's Olympic team and is expected to suit up at the World Hockey Championships starting May 9 in Minsk, Belarus.
“I’m happy and am proud that I spent a full season in the NHL on a two-way contract where I could have been sent to the AHL any time,” Belov said. “It is certain that I gained a lot and it is a huge experience for me to grow further as a player.”
