BY HELENE ST. JAMES

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- The first English expression Dmitri Bykov could use commandingly was a bad one. The second was a phrase universal to anyone learning a foreign language. After that, he picked up words that have very limited use, unless one happens to be a rookie NHL defenseman.

Bykov has been a delight for the Red Wings ever since he joined them last September, coming in as an unknown and emerging by the first quarter as a part of the top-four defensive unit. Since early December he has been paired with Norris Trophy winner Nicklas Lidstrom, an assignment that leads to playing against opponents' top lines.

"Dmitri has been very good for us," coach Dave Lewis said. "He has kept his game really simple. He plays his position well, supports his partner well, reads the rush well, and when the puck is on his stick, you feel pretty good he is either going to make a really good pass or it will probably get out."

Though Bykov is technically a rookie, he's 25 and quite a bit more mature, both mentally and physically, than his younger colleagues. He spent the past three seasons playing with AK Bars Kazan -- where he was a teammate of Pavel Datsyuk -- in Russia's top league, and was so impressive that management decided to bring him over last summer.

Visa problems delayed his arrival, but he quickly made up for missing training camp. He displayed a knack for making a flat, crisp first pass and for playing physically down low, and he has maintained his level of play. He can man the point on the power play and has killed the odd penalty. Entering Friday's game at Vancouver, he had eight points and was a plus-1.

Although Bykov shoots left-handed, he prefers to play the right side, which is one of his biggest assets. That enabled Lewis to put him with Lidstrom and use Maxim Kuznetsov with Chris Chelios. For Lidstrom, who mostly has been paired with longtime NHL veterans, the transition has been fluid.

"He is really playing solid for us," Lidstrom said. "It's tough to play on the right side when you're left-handed, too. You kind of have to open up and use your mobility a lot more. But he has good skills -- good first pass, good skater, good knowledge. He is just going to get better and better."

The Wings would love to see Bykov improve his English. He comes across as quiet, so quiet, in fact, that Lewis joked that he wasn't sure if Bykov even speaks Russian. Kuznetsov handles translation duties during pregame meetings.

"Who knows what Max is saying? He's talking to him, anyways," Lidstrom said with a smile.

For the most part, though, messages get across. Lidstrom quickly taught Bykov the meaning of "reverse" and "heads up." Russian teammates taught him how to say: "I do not speak English."

Bykov and his wife, Tatyana, are taking English lessons, but Kuznetsov contends the couple's 4-year-old son, Max, already outtalks both thanks to American cartoons.

The Wings can live with that, though, because on the ice, Bykov's talents translate in any language.