It looks like TSN/NBC analyst Pierre McGuire is up to his old tricks.  Once again he has taken the opportunity to lambast long-time Capitals winger Alexander Semin.

On the July 1 “Free Agent Frenzy” show on Canada’s TSN (and simulcast on the NHL Network), McGuire and the apparently anti-Semin panel launched a blistering attack on the Russian, who is now a free agent.

The firebombing started with ex-NHL coach-turned-analyst Marc Crawford who referred to Semin as “a loser,” without giving a single reason why he deserved such an appellation (barring Crawford’s own disdain for him).  He continued the barrage, saying that although Semin’s point production was greater than fellow UFA Zach Parise’s, he does not help his team at all, while Parise helps “in every way.”

Marc, could you be a little more vague with those comments?  Is there any proof to this accusation, or did a Russian rub you the wrong way at some point in your career?  Because, calling somebody names on a national network simply isn’t professional journalism.

Not wanting to miss his chance to bash Semin, McGuire eagerly jumped in with equal venom, saying he  ”is not a great teammate” and describing him as the “ultimate coach killer.”  Aren’t you being a bit melodramatic, Pierre?

Clearly, McGuire has a short memory.  He sang Semin’s praises during one of the better playoff runs the Capitals have had in years.  In fact, Semin was the talk of the NHL during the first round as we reported on this website in April.

Playoff performance aside, lets look at the stats.   Semin been an amazingly solid producer since he arrived in Washington.  Looking at his numbers, one would never guess that he has been riddled with injuries each year.  He has done everything his coaches have asked him to do.  And he has even been hailed as “caring too much” by his former general manager George McPhee.

He has been a loyal teammate.  He is never late to practice.  He does what is asked of him and doesn’t argue with the coach or management.  He’s not a prima donna with huge demands, nor does he expect special treatment.  One can’t even accuse him of being a one-way player, as he’s proved that this certainly isn’t the case.  No, he simply wants to play.

Why then, do members of the Canadian media wage war against this player?  They certainly would never talk about one of their “own” this way, no matter how detrimental that person was to their team.  It would be unacceptable.  Why is this any different?

Maybe Semin turned down a request for an interview or perhaps he refused to give McGuire his private mobile number so they could exchange text messages and give Pierre another name to drop.  Or maybe his discomfort with the English language makes him somehow less human and, therefore, easier to excoriate.  Or, as I’ve often thought, there may be a more sinister reason for trying to ruin his reputation.  The NHL is still very much an Old Boys club, and anyone different is not well received.

Whether they are motivated by xenophobia or some other reason, the attacks on Semin’s character are unacceptable and unethical behavior on the part of TSN’s “expert” panel.  Yet I don’t see it stopping any time soon.  Bashing Russians seems to be a time-honored tradition in certain circles and it seems the people who do it will not be happy until all of the Russians have gone home to the Kontinental Hockey League.  And while Semin is far too talented to play in that league, Sergei Fedorov, the new GM for CSKA Moscow has said he will make a play for him.

Yes, the Cold War still rages on the ice.  It’s time for a change.  It’s time for the old ideas of what a Russian player is to change.  It’s time for some in the Canadian media to forget the contentiousness of the 1972 Summit Series, get with the times and do some rethinking.  Do those old stereotypes of the stoic, unfeeling, passionless Russian still apply?  And, perhaps more importantly, did they ever?  Until this relatively small, but influential segment of Canada’s press corps is willing to look at their own biased attitudes and commit themselves to a little fairness, I fear hockey slip further into the realm of “niche sport.”  Certain big name, absurdly suited and coiffed commentators are already laughingstocks.  It’s time for a change, before the sport we love becomes one too.

Photographs:  Alexander Semin by Geneen Pipher/Hockey VIPs Magazine; Pierre McGuire from Wiki Commons. 

If you’re familiar with our blog, you know that I’m an unapologetic Russophile. And there is no Russian more deserving of my love than Alexander Semin of the Washington Capitals — especially during this post season.  In fact, he’s been so dominant in all aspects of the game that sportscasters, play-by-play and color commentators alike have been forced to acknowledge his stellar play.

You’d think I would be happy that he is finally getting his due, but I’m not entirely pleased.  As a matter of fact, I become a bit more exasperated every time I hear his name, because you never just hear what a great job he’s doing.  Rather, it’s always preceded by something like “not known for his defense …”

Maybe he’s not “known” for his defense but he’s not known for his lack of defensive play either.  He has been a plus player for most of his career and, while he was a mere +9 this year, he was a +22 in 2010-11 and a +36 in 2009-10.  Mike Greene has made more defensive errors in half the games this year and he is a defenseman!  Do you hear the experts make such qualified statements about him?  No.  Am I surprised?   Not at all.  The bias against Russians has emerged in this absurd, covert and undeserved bashing of Semin.

“In a rare effort, Semin dives for the puck,” the NBC Sports team raves.  Rare effort?  Let’s face it, Semin is never going to be an overly physical player.  It’s not his style.  He is deceptively fast as he is a smooth skater trained under the Soviet sports system, and could most certainly out skate the majority of current NHL players.  Yet for whatever reason, the rough-and-tumble skating style of most North American players gives spectators — and even Semin’s former teammates – the idea that these players are trying harder.  If you’re not willing to put your body on the line every shift, you’re accused of not putting out a decent effort.  Again, I’m crying xenophobia.

Then there’s the age-old accusation that Semin just doesn’t care.  Case in point:  “Semin one minute looks like a complete player, then the next looks like he’s not interested in the game,” a color commentator opined during the Boston series.  Earlier this year, his former coach Bruce Boudreau said Semin really does care, claiming no one on the team takes losing as hard as he does.  Taking a two-minute penalty is so devastating to him because of the consequences it might have on the team, Boudreau asserts, that he has a hard time not letting it affect the rest of his game.  This is an insight those highly critical of him apparently choose to ignore, forget or simply not believe.  After all, he’s not Sidney Crosby!

Maybe the North American media are coming around.  Before game one of the second round, they highlighted Semin as the top Cap the playoffs — without a hint of criticism.  I’m not ready to completely forgive the folks at NBC Sports just yet though.  If he fails to live up to his performance in the first round, I’m willing to bet he’ll be the first one blamed.  Still, with his contract up at the end of the year, the long-overdue positive PR can only increase the value of the overly criticized and extremely underrated Alexander Semin.

Photograph: Shannon Valerio

The playoffs have arrived and thus so have the pet peeves of this goddess.  Surprisingly it’s not the players and the excessive violence but the sportscasters and announcers that are grating on my nerves like fingernails on a chalkboard.

Here are just a few items that are getting my goat this year:

• The stat du jour mentioned durning just about every game:  “That was ‘so-and-so’s’ first playoff goal in ‘x’ number of years.”  I’ve heard this multiple time this year. It’s almost always referring to a player who, for example, has played on horrible teams that either didn’t make it to the playoffs or were defeated in the first round, and hence have only played say, six playoff games in the past five years.  How is that statistically significant for an individual player?   Same with the assertion that a goalie, like Jose Theodore, hasn’t had a shutout in the playoffs in*gasp* 8 years.  Guess what?  You can’t stop goals from the golf course.

• Talking about the unacceptable headhunting and retaliation without mentioning Todd Bertuzzi, the man you single handedly ended not only Steve Moore’s career, but eliminated any chance for him to live a normal life.  Has everyone forgotten the biggest thug  of all?

• Mike Milbury talking about honor, and lack thereof.  This coming from the man who I witnessed climb in the crowd and beat a fan – with the fan’s own shoe!

• Pierre McGuire name-dropping.  We’re all really impressed that Wayne Gretzky texted you personally to tell you some arbitrary and obvious fact about the series you happen to be covering that day.  There’s a reason McGuire’s one of the most disliked announcers in hockey.

•  Not criticizing the poster child of the NHL, a.k.a. Sidney Crosby.  The entire first melee began because Crosby slashed Bryzgolov’s glove not once, not twice, but three times after he clearly had it covered.  Also, describing Sidney’s needless grabbing of Hartnell’s jersey and tugging at him when Hartnell clearly didn’t want to get involved, as “wrestling between Crosby and Hartnell.”  Come on, we can all see what happened. Pictures don’t lie.  Stop sucking up to the league and waiting for the network to give you permission to say something even slightly negative about him.

All this and we’re not even halfway through the first round!  Have any of your own pet peeves these playoffs?  I want to hear them!

November 21,2011 wasn’t an ordinary day in the NHL. November 21 marked the retun of the greatest player in the history of hockey – nay, the greatest player in the history of any sport! The only reason the NHL exists is to provide a platform for his awesomeness. The King has returned: Sidney Crosby.

But it’s not only for a lowly hockey goddess to remark upon the blessedness of the return of Sidney Crosby, which has saved the NHL from the End Times. There are many in the chorus of the lowly peons who are dancing in joy and weeping in ecstacy.

Versus spokeman: Of course we dumped the Bruins-Canadiens game for The Return. After all, who cares about the greatest rivalry in the history of sports when you can show The King scoring at will against the sorriest team in the NHL? It’s a no-brainer!

ESPN spokesman: Hockey? What’s that? Oh, Crosby’s back? Hey, we love hockey!

Tim Thomas: Yeah, I know Cary Price and I were both coming off shutouts, and I extended my personal shutout streak to 133 minutes in a nail-biting 1-0 win in Montreal, but Sidney Crosby is much, much more important than the defending Stanley Cup champion playing a team that had beaten them twice last month.

Anders Nilsson: I may be a 21-year-old rookie who was making my first NHL start, but I’ll put my 4.25 GAA up against anyone in the league! Oh, um, sorry. Ahem. I’m honored to have been the worthy challenger for His Majesty in his return.

Pierre McGuire:  You talk about the all-around superstar that Sidney Crosby is, it’s been a Crosby-palooza tonight.*

NHL: Let’s hope every player in the league has learned an important lesson. Headshots were fine as long as the targets were guys like Marc Savard. But Sidney Crosby is our bread and butter. He and Ovechkin are the only players ESPN viewers can name. It behooves us all to pay proper tribute. All together now!

NHL players: Hail Sidney! All hail The King!

* I am not making this up.

 

Photo by Terry Moore

Saturday night was one of the most moving, emotional nights for me as a hockey fan.  It was the night that the jersey of one of my hockey heroes, Peter Forsberg, was retired.

Like all retirement ceremonies these days, it was more than just the raising of a banner, a nice parting gift and video montage of the player’s career.  In fact, by Avalanche standards, this was exceptionally extravagant.

For the first time ever, a player actually entered from the concourse, down the arena stairs, shaking hands with fans, and entered the ice for one final victory lap while waiving to fans one final time.  Pierre Lacroix was there, along with Stan Kroenke and son Josh, now owner of the Avs.  By pure chance, we were sitting rinkside on the isle that Peter walked down.  Both my husband and I got to shake his hand in what will be one of the most memorable moments in hockey for me.

Peter Forsberg will always hold a special place in my heart.  I rediscovered hockey in 1990, after meeting my now-husband.  My dad had been a Colorado Rockies season ticket holder when I was a kid, and once the team left town, I lost interest in hockey.  Back then, I love Rene Robert and Lanny McDonald.  As a born-again-hockey fan, I saw Wayne Gretzky in his prime and watched Jaromir Jagr and Teemu Selanne in their first years.  But as a Colorado Avalanche hockey fan, I saw Peter Forsberg from the beginning of his career, day in and day out.  While the Eastern Conference media personalities were shrugging their shoulders at his name, fans in Colorado and players all over the league were talking about this amazing player.

I had the opportunity to meet him once before.  Cody McCormick was playing for the Avalanche and his father was in town.  A family friend, he took us down to wait for Cody, and with his encouragement I asked Peter for a photo.  He was friendly, smiling – not the stereotypical stoic Swede.  Whether he was or not, he seemed real.  For all my years as a fan, it was my first, and one of my only, pictures with a player.

On Saturday night, the finality of it hit and I was overcome with emotion.  To see a player begin and end his career, one that you had love to watch so much, along with the realization of how much of your own life has passed, is quite an emotional experience.

I will remember every detail of the night – the hand shake, Pierre Lacroix having to be delivered directly to his chair on the ice (does anyone know what his ailment is?), to watching Peter cry as they lifted the banner with his number to the ceiling to hang next to Joe Sakic’s and Patrick Roy’s.

While the finality of his goodbye finally hits me, perhaps I can take a bit of inspiration from a career that was too short and attempt to make my own accomplishments equally as great.  Our opportunities will be gone before we know it, after all.  Or maybe I just bask in the memories of watching one of the greatest players to ever play the game.

Photos: Peter Forsberg and jersey raising by Goddess Sasha. Copyright 2011. All Rights Reserved.

Since the brutal play-off exit of the Washington Capitals in April by the sticks of the Tampa Bay Lightning in an embarrassing 4 game sweep in the Semi-Finals, a lot of fingers have been pointed and a lot of blame has been shifted on what went wrong YET AGAIN. I don’t want to beat a dead horse here. I’m tired of talking about, tired of reading about it, and tired of people trying to tell me I’m not a true Caps fan for bashing my own team.

I think most will agree after digesting that embarrassment and hearing what the players and team personnel had to say, it is obvious this team has problems. I think the biggest problem is the stars of this team are coddled and not called out by the proper authorities when they need it. ALEXANDER SEMIN I AM LOOKING AT YOU. However, I’m not just talking about coming into practice when they feel like it, I mean, let’s face it they are still human and the grueling schedules they keep is enough to run everyone down at some point. My point is letting certain star players play when they need to be benched for their own good.

Now, I’m not on the inside exactly, I don’t know all the things that go on behind the scenes, but I can tell you that Alex Ovechkin was not suffering from one ailment this season, but three.

Yes, count them: One, Two, Three.

A wrist injury (which got one giant cortisone shot before every game for months), a groin injury, and a knee injury. Now, I’m no expert, but after a pitiful showing in the playoffs most likely due to said injuries, why would you let this guy go play for Worlds knowing he could injure himself further and potentially put him in the press box for months? Maybe it’s the old Soviet mindset clouding my judgment on this, but I’d tell him he was going to sit Worlds out.

I’ve also heard what was wrong with the lackluster Nicklas Backstrom this year… let’s just say I hope he stops hanging out with a certain defenseman who is known for his alcohol consumption and has gotten himself back together over the summer. Have I said too much by saying this? Potentially. I’m just still surprised even though I really shouldn’t be.

On that note, I might not have said this much before, but I am a HUGE Mathieu Perreault fan. I can’t get enough of Mighty Mouse and his perfect flow. I was interested to find out that the apparent reason he was suddenly sent back down to the minors back in mid-spring was that he showed up to practice still intoxicated from the night before. Do I insert a “Short French-Canadian Lightweight” joke here? Or do I once again shake my head?

All I know is, I’m happier than a hornet we have Matty P for another year, got my other hockey love in Chris Bourque back, and that we acquired Troy Brouwer so I can ask him to do the Kaner Shuffle with me, Brouwer Style!

 

 

 

The NHL All Star Game is the perfect time for fans to get a glimpse of some of their favorite players up close. We hope you will enjoy these pictures, shot from the red carpet deep in the heart of Hurricane country.

Photos: All images by Wendy Bullard.  Copyright 2011.  All Rights Reserved.

Pinch me.  I must be dreaming.  For the Avalanche just announced that my all-time favorite hockey player is returning to the NHL.

That’s right.  Peter Forsberg has just signed with the Colorado Avalanche for the remainder of the year.

How many times have I sat in my office looking at the almost life-size adhesive image of him that clings to the wall behind my door, wishing I could see him just one more time?   How many times have I sighed wistfully as I reach across my McFarlane action figure of the infamous number 21 to turn on my computer?

Anyone who has ever watched the game of hockey respects the talent he holds.  To this day he is still probably the most skilled, all-around player ever to step on the ice.  And we are lucky we get to see him one more time.

Peter was an icon here in Colorado.  The newspapers were always abuzz about him. They profiled his house up in Genesee, reported on the rare girlfriend he might have at the time and even covered his move to his downtown penthouse condo.  If you was lucky, you might see him and his bff Dan Hinote at local country bar Stampede or at a Cherry Creek restaurant, an experience that you could brag to your friends about for months.

I’ll never forget the day I met Peter and had my picture taken with him.  My husband and I were down in the family waiting area with Cody McCormick’s dad, waiting for him to come out of the Avalanche locker room after a game against the Rangers.  Cody’s dad was playful nudging me to ask players like Joe Sakic for a picture.  I was far too embarrassed to ask a player I had never met for a picture.  It just wasn’t something I did.  Until Peter emerged.  I wanted to ask but I was frozen, unable to move.  Luckily, my shy husband took the initiative and asked Peter for a picture with me.

I still have that picture — Peter leaning in and smiling big.  I think I’ve shown it to almost everyone I know. Yes, I’m a Peter Forsberg fangirl and proud of it!

Now, in just over a week if all goes well, I’ll be spending Valentines Day with my husband AND Peter — at the Colorado Avalanche/Calgary Flames game here in Denver.  What more could a girl ask for?

Photos: Peter Forsberg by Goddess Sasha. Copyright 2008. Peter Forsberg and Goddess Sasha by Chris McCormick.  Copyright 2003.  All Rights Reserved.

It is now past the halfway mark of the 2010-2011 season (where’d the time go?) and in light of tonights impressive game by Marcus Johansson in the OT loss to the Florida Panthers, I felt a mid-season update on the Capitals’ 3 Swedes was in order.

The game against the Panthers in Sunrise, FL started like most recent games by the Capitals: falling behind early. They left the first period down 2-0 and found themselves down 3-0 in the first half of the second period. I admit, the game looked bleak in terms of mounting a comeback. But recent efforts by the Boston Bruins in a game where they scored 2 goals in 12 seconds to tie the Pittsburgh Penguins in the third — and then the B’s potting the eventual game winner shortly before the end of the 3rd period to win it in regulation — gave me hope the Caps would rally back in a flurry themselves.

That rally started with the Capital’s Swedish rookie, Marcus Johansson at 10:10 of the second.  From then on out, it was all Caps in the second half of the game, with Johansson leading the charge. The Swedish rookie notched the tying goal at 7:12 of the 3rd and nearly added a third moments later.

I have a strong belief that if Mike Green hadn’t tripped up a Panther in OT, the Caps would have won the game with the momentum they had gained. The PK in OT was definitely looking good, despite the well-placed shot that ended the Caps’ hope of leaving with 2 points.

Still, the superb effort and play by Johansson restored my confidence in the young rookie. So far this season I can’t say I’ve been disappointed in him. I knew what type of player we were getting.  And no offense to “Mojo”, as Johansson has come to be nicknamed, but I knew he would be a less-effective version of his Swedish counter-part, Nicklas Backstrom, in his rookie season.

At times he has been entirely invisible during games, which is not entirely a bad thing as it means he is not making mistakes, but he isn’t really doing what he needs to at times either. Don’t get me wrong, he hasn’t been abysmal by any means because he is after all still a rookie with a long way to go and a lot to learn.

I wanted him to make the Caps right out of training camp, and he did against my better hockey judgment. Even after tonights impressive comeback effort to erase a 3 goal deficit created by Johansson, it is clear the fanatical side of me wanted something that didn’t coincide with what might have been best for the rookie in the long run. I personally believe it is becoming clear that he would have benefited greatly from further development in the AHL with the Hershey Bears, a la teammates John Carlson and Karl Alzner.

To say he is our 2nd line center is a bit of a stretch at this point. I believe he has the potential to be our 2nd line center, but I’m afraid him being thrown into the NHL his first year in North America will stunt his growth in the long run. Not all players are Nicklas Backstroms, and as much as I love Mojo, he isn’t a Backstrom … yet. Games like that against the Panthers show what he is capable of, and for that I hope he will continue this uptrend. He is highly talented, plays defensive beyond his years, has impeccable speed, has done well when put on PK special teams, and his puck possession and passing is superb.

Overall performance thus far:  Solid B

Speaking of Backstrom … where has he gone? What has happened to him? 39 points through 43 games puts him on pace to score less than 80 points this season. Following a career-high season of 101 points through 82 games last year, this current pace would give him the second-lowest point total since he entered the NHL. His rookie season in 2007-2008 being the lowest with 69 points. Normally I would say personal stats aren’t everything if the team is winning, but when they aren’t, you tend to look at your star players when they aren’t producing and question why. Alex Ovechkin is on pace for 30 goals this season and 90 points — if he’s lucky. I have no doubt that Ovechkin’s lack of production goes hand-in-hand with Backstrom’s scoring drought.

Backstrom just hasn’t seemed like himself this season. He’s become a turnover machine, can’t win face-offs to save his life or gets kicked out of the dot half the time, and simply doesn’t have that same strength to drop the shoulder and protect the puck. He’s had his moments this year, but nothing compared to what he should be doing on the ice.

Overall performance thus far: C-

Right now you might be scratching your head wondering who the 3rd Swede was I introduced you to back before the start of training camp. Remember the legendary Capital, Bengt Gustafsson? Well he didn’t try to re-enter the NHL, but his son was drafted by the Capitals in 2008 at 21st overall. Caps fans did not initially disagree with General Manager George McPhee’s first pick in taking Anton Gustafsson. If he was anything like his dad, we’d be fortunate to have him.

Sadly, Anton’s injury-plagued career and overall seeming disinterest to play hockey actually pushed Anton to quit hockey altogether in October of 2010. After spending just one game with the Hershey Bears in which he recorded 2 assists, he was assigned to the ECHL affiliate the South Carolina Stingrays. He played one pre-season game with the Stingrays before telling the Capitals he had decided to go back to Sweden and subsequently quit playing hockey altogether.

He has since recanted of his desire to no longer play hockey and is currently playing for a no-name league on a no-name team in Swissland.

Overall performance thus far:  W (for Withdrawl).

Photos courtesy of BridgetDS and Annalisk19 via Flickr.com. Copyright 2009-2011. All rights reserved.

No offense to Eric Boulton, but he was one of the last guys I’d have thought would show up Ilya Kovalchuk, last night at Philips Arena. But show him up he did — with a hat trick. It was quite the spectacle. A guy who grinds it out every night making mere pennies compared to his former teammate. A guy who has to claw and scratch to earn that money and his place on the team every night.

And you really do have to hand it to him. If Kovalchuk feels humiliated by the way this season is going, having a hat trick scored against your team by a fourth-liner from the team you turned your back on … that’s gotta be hard on the ego. So applause to Boulton!

Special props to “NHL On the Fly” for saying (with great enthusiasm) something along the lines of “We’ll have much more from Eric Boulton later in the program!” Has to be the first time he’s been used as a teaser. Let’s enjoy the moment.

Photo: Eric Boulton from AtlantaThrashers.com.

The holidays are nearly upon us, which means it is time for this goddess to finally start posting this season.  Just like the media, we’re getting a bit Eastern Conference heavy here, so I think it’s time to give some love to the West.

As an Avs fan, I’ve noticed the topic of the week has been this strange little dance that Paul Stastny and Matt Duchene do at the end of every victorious game.  For me, the origin of the dance is less significant than what this symbolizes to the team.

While I don’t really know Stas, I saw him frequently during his college days at the University of Denver.  His Facebook page and reputation was one that might lead people to think he was one wild and crazy guy, he has always been publically a surprisingly subdued individual both on and off the ice.  So, to see him so animated is indicative of the climate of the team and believe they have in themselves.

No, there is no Joe Sakic to carry the team and no Patrick Roy to save the day.  Gone are the days of other top names being perennial underachievers.  The Avs are getting it done with a group of guys who on paper look to be a minor league team with a couple of stars in the making and some average vets – and both they and the fans are having a blast in the process.

I’ve been saying for years that I’d rather see overachieving guys that work hard and play tough than a bunch of superstars not living up to their potential.  Guess what?  They’ve finally gotten there.  Just ask Paul Stastny.

Photo: Matt Duchene and Paul Stastny from The Associated Press.

As a longtime Washington Capitals fan, I’ve had the sometimes rough duty of sticking up for a certain player (Alexander Semin) who, incidentally, was the main reason I became a Caps fan back in 2003. My first Capitals game on the 12th of November 2003 gave me my first glimpse of him. I fell in love with his playing style immediately. His stick-handling skills were enchanting and, to this day, he still makes my jaw drop at some of the dekes he can pull rushing up the ice. His lone goal in the 7-1 shellacking of the Carolina Hurricanes during my inaugural game was a sneaky little deke around a veteran defenseman and a total undressing of the goalie. (Check it out for yourself.)

Semin joined the team at one of the most trying times for the Capitals organization. That year the team was dismantled at the trade deadline. Fans bid farewell to iconic winger Peter Bondra, as well as Robert Lang, Sergei Gonchar, and the man fans love to hate: Jaromir Jagr. At the end of the 2003-04 season, majority owner Ted Leonsis declared the team was going to rebuild from within. He started later that summer by selecting Alexander Ovechkin and Mike Green in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

By all accounts, Semin’s rookie season was anything but pleasant. Rumored dissension inside the Caps locker room did not create a healthy atmosphere for the young Russian, who was still trying to adjust to life in North America. And, his lack of English skills created a natural barrier between him and most of the team. Semin missed the final game of the regular season, oversleeping and missing the team flight out of Washington. When the season ended, he was sent to Portland, Maine to play for the Capitals’ American Hockey League farm team, the Pirates, to help with their unsuccessful Calder Cup run. Semin ended the season with 10 goals and 22 points in 52 games, playing mostly on the third and fourth lines.

The following season, the NHL lockout forced Semin to find work elsewhere. He signed a one-year deal with Lada Togliatti of the Russian Super League, opting not to report to the Hershey Bears (the Capitals’ new AHL affiliate). The Capitals subsequently suspended his contract for failing to report to Hershey. He finished the season Togliatti.

When the NHL labor dispute ended and the 2005-06 season was on the horizon, Semin was expected to return to the Capitals for the final year of his entry-level contract. However, Semin and his agent, Mark Gandler, were sued by the Capitals for more contract violations after he signed a 1-year extension with Lada. Gandler managed to have the suit nullified by claiming Semin’s contract with Lada was satisfying his two-year military obligation to the Russian Federation.

Whether it really was Russian military obligations or something else is unclear, but Lada gave him numerous incentives to stay. He was given a car, an apartment and a $2 million (USD) contract to play for the team. At just 21 years old, $2 million was much more than the chump change the Capitals were offering, and for that reason alone, I can’t blame him for wanting to stay in Russia where he also didn’t have to deal with a struggling team and language barrier.

Semin’s decision ultimately backfired as he fell victim to the unstable system in which the RSL governed itself by before the league revamped in 2007. Semin was let go by Lada a month into the season as the team salary was cut by 50 percent. The team avoided folding altogether by letting go of multiple players and loaning some out to other RSL teams.

At that time, Semin’s was the highest contract on the Lada roster. He was the first to be let go along with his car, apartment and contract. He didn’t stay unemployed for long as he signed with Khimik Mytischi, taking a pay cut. He finished the season with Khimik only notching 3 goals and 10 points in 26 games.

At the conclusion of his two-year stint back in Russia, Semin managed to mend fences with Capitals management and returned to Washington for the 2006-07 season, signing a 2-year deal.

Semin may have returned to Washington ready to get his NHL career back on track, but much of the Capitals’ fan base and media were more than a little annoyed by his antics. Critics saw Semin’s “military obligations” as a farce and Semin faced a backlash from fans who felt they had been spurned. He was labeled as the stereotypical “Mother Russia” player from then on out. His actions prior to rejoining the team reduced his popularity among the core Caps fans and heavily tarnished his reputation.  To this day he is still seen by many fans as a ticking (two-time) Russian defector.

Semin did his best to let his play do the talking where his still limited English could not. He amassed 38 goals and 73 points in the 2006-07 season. While his efforts were a step in the right direction, his reputation among fans was still fairly dismal. He was routinely criticized for his lazy style of play and his tendency to take costly penalties.

In 2007-08, Semin only notched 26 goals and 42 points in an injury-plagued year. The 2008-09 season saw Semin struggle yet again with injuries, but he finished with a career-high 79 points and a dramatic improvement in the plus/minus column at +25.

In 2009-10, Semin showed he was beginning to mature as a player, scoring a career-high 40 goals. Management took notice of Semin’s improved play and signed him to a 1-year contract extension that will expire when he becomes a free agent at the end of the 2010-11 season.

Most of the ill will from his controversial return to the Capitals has dissipated, but his faults in the eyes of fans have shifted to his poor performance in the playoffs. Much of the anger stems from the playoff embarrassment the Capitals suffered against the Montreal Canadiens last April. Semin ended the series scoreless, though he pounded 40 shots on goal. His lack of desire to talk to the North American media and his insistence on not saying three words in English (at least publicly), add fuel to the arguments of those who want Semin out of D.C.

Now we find ourselves nearly a quarter of the way into the 2010-11 season, and Semin is atop leaderboard, outplaying his fellow Russian teammate, Alex Ovechkin. He has already scored two hat tricks this season and shows no sign of letting up. This is, after all, a contract year for Semin and while his out-of-this-world play is beyond entertaining for Caps fans to watch, it is bittersweet. With his elevated level of play, will come elevated salary expectations — expectations the Capitals simply cannot afford with the current roster and the possibility of a lower salary cap.

In a recent interview with Russia’s Sport Express, Semin made a simple statement on his future in Washington that might put to rest the argument among Caps fans on Semin’s agenda:

“I don’t agree that Washington can not afford me. If I want to play here, we’ll resolve it.”

Since day one, I have said this kid could be the best player in the league if he gave half the effort most forth-line grinders give game-in and game-out. His pure talent, world-class stickhandling skills, pinpoint accuracy and superb skating, would put him among the top five players in the league should he stay healthy. He is a unique combination of smooth skating and raw, unrivaled skill that transforms NHL players into legends.

The fans who cheer for him, love him for his dazzling performances on the ice, as well as his flamboyant off-ice personality. We look forward to his zany, trademark facial expressions. We love to see what sort of remarkable outfit he’ll throw together (we can assume these wild designer looks cost him thousands of dollars, yet they also make us wonder if he got dressed in the dark or in the wrong house). Whether he’s streaking across the ice or cruising down the road in one of his many ultra-expensive sports cars, we can’t help but take notice of him.

Perhaps this season will finally put an end to the disagreement about Semin among Capitals fans, as we all fall in love with the quirky Russian.

Here’s my bold prediction.

Semin is in the best shape of his life and is entering the prime of his career. He will reach the 45 goal plateau and, if he stays on his current pace, will break 50. I expect him to sign with the Capitals for $6.5-$7 million a season for at least five years. If we are lucky and Semin truly wants to stay and play alongside Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin for the remainder of their decade-long contracts, he may take a hometown discount and sign for $6 million a season for a longer contract.

Bottom line: I don’t see Semin leaving the Capitals. Period.

Photos: Alexander Semin rookie year, and Semin and Alex Ovechkin from Getty Images; Semin with Lada Togliatti from The Associated Press; Semin with Khimik from the team’s official team site; Semin portrait by Kyle Christy Photgraphy.

Former NHLer and newly acquired CSKA Moscow forward Slava Kozlov says he hasn’t had any problems adapting to his Russian club.

- I had been preparing to my comeback to Russia.  When I played for Atlanta I already planned to try myself in the KHL. It turned out that in the end I got back to CSKA — to the club which I had left 18 years ago. So I don’t have any troubles with adaptation in Russia.

-I’m surprised by the new league. The KHL has a very high level of hockey. Organizational issues in the CSKA are OK, too. We have all the conditions to show our best game.

Photos and interview (c) official CSKA website.

I hate to admit it, but it has taken me a while to warm up to the new-look Thrashers.  Losing Ilya Kovalchuk was hard but, for me, Slava Kozlov’s departure was the cruelest blow.  My favorite player since he joined the Red Wings, I am still coming to grips with his leaving Atlanta (not to mention the way he left).  

I’ve watched all of the Thrashers’ games this season and today there was just a tiny glimmer of feeling OK with this squad of (seemingly) all new guys. That glimmer? Alexander Burmistrov. Yes, the little teenager whom I wrote about in a draft preview scored his first goal for the Thrashers this evening, and it stirred up some old feelings of excitement and that thing all true Thrashers fans need a healthy dose of:  Hope.

Let’s enjoy the goal and revel in the possibilities that are yet to come, because, yes, damn it, I still believe in Blueland.  I even believe that hey! He could turn into one of those electrifying, No. 8-wearing people that fans come out just to see. You never know. And you know what? To borrow a phrase from Washington Capitals fans and celebrity bloggers everywhere: Haters to the left. (Thanks Caps fans! ;-P ).  And go baby Burmistrov!

Burmistrov’s First NHL Goal

Photo: Alexander Burmistrov from atlantathrashers.com/Getty Images.

On October, 4, SKA played against Carolina in the show game “KHL vs NHL”. It was a nice show, with lots of goals and fights. SKA won 5:3.

St. Petersburg coach Ivano Zanatta explains to IIHF.com:
“This meant a lot to the national hockey pride of Russians. The Olympics left a scar in the Russian hockey soul. What we did tonight was to start mending that scar a little bit,” said the Italo-Canadian who is entrusted with the monumental task of jelling this star ensemble into a cohesive group.

His counterpart was also quite happy with his team’s performance, but not with the way the SKA, according to Paul Maurice, took liberties with some of his star players.
“In the NHL when players have an issue they are allowed to solve it by themselves,” said the Hurricanes coach. “And then you continue to play. But this is not possible in international hockey, there is a different tradition.”

This is the second time that an NHL-team will face a KHL-club. In the inaugural Victoria Cup on October 1, 2008, the New York Rangers rallied from a 3-0 deficit to defeat European club champion Metallurg Magnitogorsk, 4-3, with Ryan Callahan netting the winner with 20 seconds remaining. The game was played in Bern, Switzerland, reminds the IIHF website.

Here are some photos, taken from championat.ru, sovsport.ru and other open sources