Posted by Unbeknownst to many hockey fans, a large number of Washington Capitals’ fans see Alex Ovechkin and Alexander Semin as equals when it comes to pure skill. Heck, you might be surprised as to which Alex would win if players/commentators voted on categories like ‘best wrist shot’ and ‘best hands’ (between Ovechkin and Semin). So if there are people out there willing to say that Semin has more skill than Alex the Great, how come one is revered as the best player in the league, while the other silently scores 35 goals each year? Rob from Storming the Crease explains:
…Semin played as if he was trying out for the Harlem Globetrotters. Every time he got the puck, he would skate around looking for a shot or fancy play instead of trying to pass and be a good teammate. That doesn’t work for any team, let alone for the hardworking Caps.
Photo by Anna Armstrong
Now if you have ever watched Alexander Semin play, ‘Every time’ is a little ambiguous as to how often he tries to show-off. ‘9.5 out of 10’ is more like it. Semin is like that kid you played against growing up who knew he was better than everyone else, but instead of racking up loads of goals and passing the puck to wide-open teammates when the double-team came, he would go for the nut-meg, or the toe drag, or the spin-o-rama and end up coughing up a turnover. Caps fans should be holding their collective breaths when this Alex is operating the Power Play from the blue line because you never know what highly conservative pass he will attempt to make.
Here come the comparisons:
Semin tries to do everything himself if he’s playing with anybody except Ovechkin. The reason the second line doesn’t work is because of Semin, who might just be a slightly more skilled version of Miroslav Satan or Maxim Afinogenov. Like his fellow Russians Europeans, Semin can disappear for games on end or dominate at the drop of a hat.
It’s tough to argue against these points if you read between the lines. The first point is hard to prove but one thing is for sure: 8 + 28 = loads of offensive chances. In the second point, I don’t think Rob is arguing that Satan and Afinogenov are close to as good as Semin, based on skill ( a comparison to Thomas Vanek is more accurate anyways). Rather, I think what he means is that all three players notorious for taking days off. Okay, maybe they do and maybe they don’t, but in defense of Sasha, he has had some nagging injuries the past few seasons. ‘Not playing hard’ could easily be mixed up with ‘attempting to play with excruciating pain’.
Rob sums things up by saying:
The bottom line is that, unless Semin has a huge change of heart over the next couple weeks, this will be a problem until he is sent away – which, in my opinion, is the best resolution to dealing with the only offensive player on the roster who doesn’t understand that being selflessness is just as (and maybe more important) than skill in winning the Stanley Cup.
This is Semin’s last year of his contract meaning a few things:
a) He will have his best season yet (for what it’s worth, his stats through eight games multiplied to get an 82-game total would result in career-career highs in the three major offensive categories).
b) George McPhee has a big decision ahead of him (obviously). Is a trade imminent for the 25-year old Russian? The Semin-for-Kovalchuk trade possibility mentioned in the article is not what I have in mind here, but maybe something along the lines of a trade deadline move brining in some experience and toughness to the backline would be more realistic.
Photo by Anna Armstrong
Whatever the case may be, there is another ‘Young Gun’ in D.C. looking for a new contract and depending on how the season unfolds and Washington’s salary cap issues, Alex Semin could be the odd man out.
Matt Leighton is a marketing student at James Madison University. You can contact him and find all his work on his Capitals blog here. You can also follow him on Twitter.
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Not too keen on the lazy branding of all European players, ‘who can disappear for games on end or dominate at the drop of a hat.’
I’d agree that Semin is as talented as Ovechkin. I feel like I’m the first one who said he has the best wrist shot in the league. But he doesn’t produce as much and that begs the question why. Sadly, having watched him play for the past 3+ years, I can draw no other conclusion than – he’s lazy, and frankly doesn’t care that much. Which doesn’t bother me, so long as he’s compensated accordingly. If you’re really trying to win a Cup, don’t be tying up $$$$ in a player who isn’t going to be able to handle the battle of attrition that is the playoffs.
@Ben
Those were Rob’s words, not mine… Anyways, I don’t like typecasting players either but on some nights it just looks like Semin is holding something back and not playing up to par. Don’t get me wrong, when Sasha is on, he’s on. Japers’ Rink has also proven (on multiple occasions) his worth as a good defensive forward.
@beaner
Every time I watch 28 out there, I want to believe that he’s getting better. I want to. But I’m just not sure that he is improving. He keeps making the same mistakes he was making years ago. Maybe it’s his worth ethic, maybe it is something else, but frankly Caps’ fans might have to come to the realization that he could be sitting on the opposing bench next season.
Hard not to agree with most of your points Matt! The thing that burns me the most about Semin is his propensity for taking penalties out of frustration from having the puck taken away from him after another toe and drag “let me take on the entire team” move! His penalties are typically hooks, trips from behind or interference and always at the worst times. Don’t know what his plus/minus is but it would be much better if he stayed out of the damn penalty box with stupid penalties! I don’t know if you can trade him as Ovechkin calls the shots on that one even though McPhee is the GM. Get another sniper or a shutdown defenseman.
Wow what you said about alexander semin is so wrong your looking at all the bad points in him!
He has scored the game winning goal in so many games, he assistes countless times so maybe instead of looking at one
Bad game of his look at all the good things he did. Last year he scored the game winning goal in overtime against boston
He’s scored the game winning goals in this season too! last year in the playoffs him and backstrom assisted each other countless times
So next time report everything like a good reporter/blogger and let the people take there side!!!
Let’s face it, Semin has tremendous talent…he’s also played on a line with Ovechkin for a majority of this year (until Ovi went out with the injury, obviously).
So Semin will step his game up offensively when the MVP is injured, right?
Well in the three games the other Alex has missed, Semin has 0 points, a -1 rating, and 5 minor penalties.
If you want to talk about last year, that’s great. Semin had an awesome season where he racked up 8 GWG’s…But in 14 playoff games last spring, he also picked up 8 minor penalties.
What I’m trying to say is that Semin is a very skilled player but sometimes he hurts the team more than he helps it. He hasn’t changed since before the lockout. He still takes dumb retaliatory penalties.
My guess is that his Capitals’ jersey becomes a collector’s item at the end of this year…if you know what I mean.
Well I honestly think your worng about semin
You might want to go back to the begining of last year when ovie was out just saying
But right now if you watch semin play there’s something off
He’s skating funny like somethings wrong with his foot so I agree with megan mcparland he’s here to stay
I mean he’s ovies best friend you trade him ovie gets mad ovie is here for what 11 more years
At least I don’t think we want to piss him off
I would just keep an eye on semin he ussally takes a while in the begining of the seaon to heat up
And if you were refering to the second penalty in the florida game on sat I was there and that was a total bs call and anyone would
Have done the same thing he did