Comments on: What If Semin Is Alex the Greater?

By: Jessie

Jessie — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 01:53:34 +0000

Semin is fantastic!
But is it really necessary to draw all of these comparisons? Ovechkin has proved his worth time and again: he can hit, he can score (oh, can he score!), he can assist, and he has uncanny intuition on the ice. It is this intuitive nature that allows him to be more than a mere presence in the background as his adversaries keep him in check. And, I should point out, his ability to glide through a crowd of players, puck untouched by any stick but his, is something of a marvel.
Semin has a specialty that is mesmerizing to watch: he can hook the puck in a curve from behind the net, so that the man between the pipes doesn’t see it coming; the poor padded guy hardly even stands a chance. But, there are things Ovechkin possesses which Semin lacks, and they are things which I hope will become more apparent as the season progresses, putting the two on more of an even level for the season.
When Ovechkin grabs hold of the puck, he tends to keep it. Through last season, although less so far this season, Semin has had a problem holding onto the puck. If it does not make it sharply and breathtakingly into the net, it often falls into the hands of the enemy.
One thing, which is probably more important to the fans than to the good of the team, is personality. I love Semin, and watching him skate is something I look very much forward to 2 or 3 nights a week. But Ovi’s interviews, his enthusiasm…it’s electric, and it is unclear to no one how much he loves the game and his teammates.
I’ll end with this: one of the last games last year, a Cap scored. I am not sure who, but I know that the first thing that happened was Ovi tackled him to the ice in excitement. I’ve never seen any player so happy for a teammate’s goal. Why would we want to destroy such enthusiasm and love with petty comparisons? Hockey’s a beautiful sport, and the Caps are the most exciting team in hockey. Just sit back and watch, ’cause this year’s gonna be an AWESOME ride.

By: pgreene

pgreene — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:37:35 +0000

i thought we had put “semin” jokes behind us. grab a dictionary people. it’s an entirely different word.
there’s been message board debate since we had both alexes about who is more talented. i have always maintained semin is the greater pure offensive talent. kolzig said he had the best shot on the team. clark recently said he might have more skill. if you boil it down to something as stupid as numbers rating a-la a playstation hockey game, semin takes nearly every offensive category in my book.
of course, they’re not competing with each other. semin seems to have finally embraced the idea that he can help this team win, can be the go-to guy. his on-ice demeanor is entirely different in terms of his posture, his post-goal celebrations, his manner on the bench…. this kid is something incredibly special. makes me wish the salary cap didn’t exists, because he is going to get seriously paid.

By: Fashi13

Fashi13 — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 19:44:48 +0000

The Calmness in Semin, the way he glides and does everything so effortlessly, reminds me of Mario Lemieux. They both made everything look so effortless.

By: doughless

doughless — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 18:56:20 +0000

pig pile:
well said!!

By: Lee (PTO)

Lee (PTO) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 18:46:53 +0000

I would certainly buy a #28 jersey if I could find one with his name spelled in Cyrilic? I’ve seen the t-shirts but no jerseys so far, has anyone seen that nameplate on a jersey yet? If so, where does one get that done?
This is a WONDERFUL “problem” to have, let’s hope GMGM has faith that Semin won’t fall back to Earth after Fedorov moves on (and let’s hope that doesn’t happen for a while, either!)

By: Flying Cloud

Flying Cloud — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 18:00:19 +0000

Thanks for that very eloquent article. I noticed that Semin improved dramatically once Fedorov arrived last year. Prior to that, he seemed to suffer from extreme anxiety — so much so that when he accidently put the puck in our net one night Coach barely mentioned it to the media, most probably because the poor kid was being much harder on himself for it than ever needs be. Semin turned the corner a few short weeks after Fedorov arrived, and the Worlds seemed to reinforce it. Despite all the anguish about salary cap I hope that Fedorov will stay again next year, or if not as a player then a coach — imagine! Another chance at the Cup, and the Gold Medal in the same year!

By: Dan

Dan — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:30:27 +0000

“You see few fans at Verizon Center outfitted in team sweaters personalized for Alexander Semin. That could be about to change.”
That probably won’t change until Semin’s last name changes, I’m afraid.

By: pig pile

pig pile — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 10:07:23 +0000

i really don’t give a crap who is better…that’s for all of us to argue in the summer months when there isn’t anything to talk about….what matters is W’s now…not gimmick SO wins….not majestry on ice…..not Semin on our jerseys (did I just say that? LOL)…..furthermore, i see no relationship in resigning Semin and Erskine’s new, overpriced contract….in reality…its probably about 300K-400K more than he should have got; which shouldn’t come between the Caps and Semin….but I’m going out on a limb in saying that BB recognizes talent and potential and they see something in the way Erskine plays that brings something to this team.

By: dmg

dmg — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 09:22:59 +0000

I think Semin has more offensive talent than Ovechkin: more agility, soft hands, better moves, more poise in tight spaces, a more accurate shot, etc. However I think Ovechkin has about 90% of the offensive skill of Semin whereas Semin has only 75% of the athleticism and attitude of Ovechkin, which is why Ovechkin is the better player.

By: NS2NOVA

NS2NOVA — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 09:08:42 +0000

It just goes to show that this team is greater than the sum of its parts. The depth spreads across 4 lines. Ovie gets double & triple coverage, leaving minimal coverage on the subsequent lines. Semin benefits as has been pointed out, but so does our 3rd line. And our 4th line energy line not only can play keep away for the whole shift, but can put the puck in the net more often than not.
I suspect that final run in March and April this season will make last year’s run look like the first two months of 07/08.