Thesis: In his volume of natural ability, in the totality of his treachery, in his alternating sublime and show-stopping showcasing of sick skill, in his penchant, while sharing a sheet of ice with world-class, household name talent, for marginalizing them to the point of being away-from-the-action afterthoughts, and in this his January 2007, mid-winter’s full bloom declaration of dominance, a virtuosity free of vanity and instead organic in its ‘Oh My God!’-generating quality, Alexander Semin is, at the precocious age of 22, the most gorgeously gifted and dynamic offensive force ever to wear a Washington Capitals’ sweater.
And it isn’t even a close call.
Bondra: the north-south blazer with a great gift for scoring goals in bunches but rarely a game-dictating force, principally because he was, at best, an average passer.
Gartner: a North American version of Bondra.
Gustafsson: more a distributor than goal scorer.
Ovechkin: the complete power package of brilliance, and a wonderful compliment to his countryman Sasha Semin, but while a wonderful stickhandler in his own right, doesn’t rise to the rarefied realm of dastardly dangling that Alex II does.
The best direct comparison, in my humble judgment, is with another envy-inducing Russian set of hands: Alexei Kovalev.
One of my greatest frustrations with the MSM — and local MSM especially — is its conspicuous failure to chronicle an athlete’s arrival at greatness. And so in Semin’s case, what we’ve more or less seen in MSM coverage of him this season goes like this: (Ashburn, Va.) September — “Skilled Sourpuss Arrives in D.C. at Long Last.” An October hat trick was largely ignored, (the Skins were playing) when it should have sounded a stud’s alarm. Later the goals continued to pile up, and still we learned nothing new of their genesis.
To some extent, reporters are surrendering to Semin’s linguistic isolation, as if translators aren’t available. But let’s say for the sake of argument that he’s prickly with the press and altogether aloof. We hockey fans in this town haven’t seen the likes of his virtuosity, as ours, ever. There’s a remarkable story to tell about this kid’s game, file after file filled by inventories of his prodigy. Someone in the press with a fire lit under his hind quarters would go out and get it for us.
Or I will.
-
Archives
- June 2018
- April 2014
- October 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
-
Meta
It feels a bit like cheating but at last night’s game in Ottawa, I found myself loving Semin’s moves more than Ovechkin’s plays. He made a few high-risk dangles and pulled them off. What a brilliant risk-taker. Early in the game he stole the puck from a D behind the net and quickly shot on goal. Breathtaking. Also, at the last game here (Jan 16) he also proved to me that he’s a brilliant boards man, controlling the puck like Dahlen used to and then coming out from behind the net to shoot. Most of all, I love his laser wrist shot, top corner always. He’s becoming a force.
Many thanks for these sage observations. Your reflection about Sasha’s Dahlen-like ability along the boards is especially insightful. It’s true, and it’s fairly amazing in light of Semin’s build, which is of the wiry variety, whereas Ulf was comparatively bulky.
I watched Sasha a great deal at last September’s camp, and I commented to another OFBer at the time that I thought he’d quickly develop a decent reputation defensively, not because he’s first back in his own end (he seldom is), but rather because his sniper hands are especially adept at pickpocketing. I saw it all camp long, and it was as dazzling as his wrist shot. I think he’ll develop this more fully, more lethally, in the years ahead.
Thanks again for your thoughtful comments.
Excellent insights, great topic. Semin the enigmatic magician. Ovechkin, like Bondra, is a marvelous north-south player, but one that passes well, hits and is less streaky. But muscular north-south becomes predictable. We fans know what he will do. So does the opponent. We watch that war with pleasure. But with Semin, who knows? He mixes east-west, north-south, circles, dekes, juts, hesitations, fakes and more. Improvisations abound. His slappers and wristers surprise us, again and again. Semin, the enigmatic magician. Like a dream first date – every shift.