By netting six goals in the first five games, he has become one of the premier left-wingers in the National Hockey League. No, we are not talking about Alexander Ovechkin, but rather his countryman Alexander Semin.
This season, Semin has stepped up as the team's leading scorer and as one of the most explosive players on the bench. Semin's two goals against the Pittsburgh Penguins helped the team rally to one of the most unlikely comebacks of the year. Coming from the same draft class as Ovechkin, Semin has finally flourished into the player the Capitals knew he was.
Hindered by a broken foot, Semin was rather quiet last season with only 26 goals. Many were beginning to wonder if he was NHL material. This year, however, he looks and has proved that he belongs in this league. While it is still early, Semin doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
Playing healthy, Semin has become one of the team's most dangerous offensive weapons. His puck handling and speed sets him apart from the rest of the league. With a broken foot Semin was unable to maneuver past defenders and couldn't control the puck as well as he would have liked to. This year is a different story, as many of his goals are scored on skilled backhands or outright foot races.
At 6 feet tall and weighing 180 pounds, Semin resembles former Hart Trophy winner and fellow teammate Sergei Fedorov, and not because they are both from Russia either. Fedorov has left his mark on the NHL with his speed and ability to put the puck where he wanted to, which, most of the time, was in the back of the net. Semin is doing much of the same as he is often the first in the offensive zone and has shown the ability to not only out maneuver defenders but to flat out embarrass them.
His strong play this year means he has finally come into his own in the league. However, he still has a long way to go. Semin is young, as he only has three years of actual NHL experience, which shows on the ice. His inexperience is obvious in his two major shortcomings, his patience and decision-making.
Veterans learn when to shoot and when to pass with experience and their decision-making skills develop along side that. Semin often has problems deciding what to do with the puck and becomes impatient with it. It showed last year in the playoffs as he panicked with a wide-open net in front of him and passed what would have been the series-ending goal. In contradiction to that though, often he doesn't see the open man and passes up the opportunity for a pretty play or a one timer. He often resorts to shooting it himself and either missing the net completely or creating an easy save for the goalie.
While patience is learned over time, it is something that would be better for his game sooner rather than later. Semin has the skill set required to set him apart from the rest of the league as an elite player. His "me versus the world" mentality will hinder that development, though. If he is able to use his team to the best of its ability, much like Fedorov and Ovechkin do, he will become a better overall player.
Since health is no longer an issue, Semin has shown us that he deserves to get the puck and has shown us this year that in overtime we can trust him with the puck. He is projected to score 80 goals and earn 137 points this season, with 10 points in six games he is well on his way to reaching that mark. Semin has become one of the Capitals best-kept secrets but if he continues playing the way he is, it won't be a secret for much longer.
You can reach this columnist at atomlinson@theeagleonline.com.
