Seriously, it almost defies belief. That segment left me with absolutely no respect for those guys. Totally gutless and pathetic (never mind inaccurate).
If I was Semin - I would have broke the jaws of all three of them. Bunch of cowards.
Sure hope the Hurricanes miss the playoffs so the Devils can make a trade for him at the deadline. I still don't understand why the Devils didn't just sign him in the off-season.
If I was Semin - I would have broke the jaws of all three of them. Bunch of cowards.
Sure hope the Hurricanes miss the playoffs so the Devils can make a trade for him at the deadline. I still don't understand why the Devils didn't just sign him in the off-season.
If I was Semin - I would have broke the jaws of all three of them. Bunch of cowards.
Sure hope the Hurricanes miss the playoffs so the Devils can make a trade for him at the deadline. I still don't understand why the Devils didn't just sign him in the off-season.
Semin - Zajac - Kovalchuk
Semin's too much of a risk for the Devils.
I did like that his defensive game was picking up near the end of his time with Washington, but as I recall he only had one good year in the postseason and was a ghost the rest of the time.
If Semin came cheap then sure why not, Devs can always scratch him like they did Sykora, but if he costs a 1st rounder or a top prospect you gotta play him.
While Semin does seem to have a hit or miss playoff record, the Canes have only made the playoffs once in the last 6 seasons. If Semin can help get them there but isn't as good in the playoffs, right now I'll take that. With the defense Carolina has, they will be hard pressed to go anywhere in the playoffs (if they make it).
I like what I've seen from Semin so far and am very pleased with the signing, but I'm a bit more reserved in my enthusiasm at this point. It's 11 games and offering him a long term contract right now is akin to proposing to someone after the 2nd date. It's easy to fit in and get along when things are going well. I want to see how he handles it when some adversity arises...when things aren't going well for the team and himself. If come the trade deadline, the Canes are still in it and things have continued to go well, I'd be all for signing him to an extension.
He is easily the most skilled player the Canes have had since I don't know when and right now, he meshes extremely well with Staal and Tlusty. He has made great passes and has played very well defensively and has a lethal shot (even though he seems to aim for the post).
The only thing I have not liked in the games I've seen is how he played against Boston. He was much more tentative that game and seemed hesitant to take the puck over the blue-line. Boston is a more physical, tight checking team and it seemed to affect his play. It's 1 game out of 11 though and I think the 1 year, $7M signing so far has been well worth it for Carolina.
A lot of the complaints against him seem similar to complaints lodged at Pitkanen a few years ago as well (lazy, doesn't try, etc..) Pitkanen seems to have found a nice home in Carolina and hopefully Semin can as well.
Yeah, how many 200 goal wingers that play in all three zones are out there?
Like I said earlier in the thread, he is playing well for you right now. Congrats. I've seen that before from him. Yes, he may keep it up, but history has a way of repeating itself.
And i'm not convincing myself. I just happen to have a memory that goes back past 11 games. For next year, I would rather have any of these potential UFA's over Semin: Filppula, Horton, Perry, or Iginla. I know most of them will be re-signed, just showing options. One of them, + Forsberg and maybe eventually Kuznetsov would be sweet.
Once again, Semin may prove to be a consistent player for another team, but I know he never will be for the Caps, which is why i'm fine with him never coming back.
Like I said earlier in the thread, he is playing well for you right now. Congrats. I've seen that before from him. Yes, he may keep it up, but history has a way of repeating itself.
And i'm not convincing myself. I just happen to have a memory that goes back past 11 games. For next year, I would rather have any of these potential UFA's over Semin: Filppula, Horton, Perry, or Iginla. I know most of them will be re-signed, just showing options. One of them, + Forsberg and maybe eventually Kuznetsov would be sweet.
Once again, Semin may prove to be a consistent player for another team, but I know he never will be for the Caps, which is why i'm fine with him never coming back.
I love watching Caps fans still try to convince themselves that Semin was the problem.
It's absolutely no coincidence that their play went down hill the moment they started to cut back on his ice time and now that he isn't on the team they are in the gutter of the East. You scapegoated him and now it has blown up in your faces. But hey, please keep trying to convince yourselves that you're better off without him. Just makes the spin that much more hilarious as he's out there helping the Canes lead the division while you all are cellar dwelling.
Ribiero is a better player than Semin.... Lol that's freaking hilarious...
I did like that his defensive game was picking up near the end of his time with Washington, but as I recall he only had one good year in the postseason and was a ghost the rest of the time.
If Semin came cheap then sure why not, Devs can always scratch him like they did Sykora, but if he costs a 1st rounder or a top prospect you gotta play him.
Semin is a great two way forward. I think he would have fit perfectly with the Devils. He just gets ripped by the media because they are full of ignorant Canadians who for some reason enjoy pointing out the flaws in Russian players.
I love watching Caps fans still try to convince themselves that Semin was the problem.
It's absolutely no coincidence that their play went down hill the moment they started to cut back on his ice time and now that he isn't on the team they are in the gutter of the East. You scapegoated him and now it has blown up in your faces. But hey, please keep trying to convince yourselves that you're better off without him. Just makes the spin that much more hilarious as he's out there helping the Canes lead the division while you all are cellar dwelling.
Ribiero is a better player than Semin.... Lol that's freaking hilarious...
Let me know what the standings look like at the end of the year. Right now means nothing.
And how many times do I have to say it? Yes, he may do well forever on a new team. His time with the Caps expired though, and it would be a step back to try to get him back unless there were major Organizational changes(new Gm, new Captain, etc)
I love watching Caps fans still try to convince themselves that Semin was the problem.
It's absolutely no coincidence that their play went down hill the moment they started to cut back on his ice time and now that he isn't on the team they are in the gutter of the East. You scapegoated him and now it has blown up in your faces. But hey, please keep trying to convince yourselves that you're better off without him. Just makes the spin that much more hilarious as he's out there helping the Canes lead the division while you all are cellar dwelling.
Ribiero is a better player than Semin.... Lol that's freaking hilarious...
LOL, at tough guy Canes fan after 12 games.
It is very possible for Semin to have a solid, consistent season in Carolina. That was not going to happen in Washington hence the reason why Caps fans do not miss him. Semin was not the sole problem in DC but he wasn't part of the solution either. The Caps sucking this year has zero to do with Semin being gone.
at Capitals:
Alexander Semin, 77g, 21+33=54p, 0.27 goals/game, 0.70 points/game.
Happened at this season:
Erik Staal and Jiri Tlusty with Alexander Semin.
Erik Staal, 20g, 12+12=24p, 0.60 goals/game, 1.20 points/game. (104% raise in goals, 41% raise in points)
Jiri Tlusty, 20g, 10+6=16p, 0.50 goals/game, 0.80 points/game. (127% raise in goals, 74% raise in points)
Alexander Semin 20g, 4+15=19p, 0.20 goals/game, 0.95 points/game. (26% drop in goals, 36% raise in points)
Semin is outproducing Ovechkin right now, when he got in the same 1st line role and not being stuck behind him. And Semin has put his teammates absolutely shine with his unselfish play and fans at Carolina are praising him about his good defensive game. That whole 1st line is at league leading +14 plus/minus of all forwards (among with Kunitz and H.Sedin).
Alex Ovechkin, 20g, 8+8=16p, 0.40 goals/game, 0.80 points/game.
At last season, Semin was +9 and he's now +14 in 20 games.
Ovechkin was -8 at last season and is -5 at this season.
For me it looks like the defensively lazy russian (people were yelling everywhere) was the another russian who did not join the Hurricanes at last summer. That 2011-12 Corsi didn't lie. Ovechkin was Capitals weakest link at last season, not Semin.
Erik Staal, 20g, 12+12=24p, 0.60 goals/game, 1.20 points/game. (104% raise in goals, 41% raise in points)
Jiri Tlusty, 20g, 10+6=16p, 0.50 goals/game, 0.80 points/game. (127% raise in goals, 74% raise in points)
In fairness though, Eric Staal SUCKED last season until Muller took over, and Tlusty didn't get on his line until mid way through the season. Under Maurice, Staal had 11 points in 25 games and was -17. Under Muller, Staal had 59 points in 27 games and was -3 so he scored at a 1.03PPG after Muller took over.
Tlusty got moved to that line half way through the season. He didn't really settle in until February though. Even so, he scored at about a 0.6PPG clip from January on and was a +6.
They are definitely producing and playing better right now with Semin, especially even strength, there's no denying that, but using Staal and Tlusty's full season numbers from last year is a bit misleading.
2 things that surprised me about Semin. First is that he is a much better playmaker than I realized. I guess it's because whenever I saw him, he was torching Cam Ward for a couple goals. Second is that he is much better defensively than I expected. Tlusty is still the "responsible" guy on that line doing all the little things (3rd man high, going into corners, first in on the forecheck, etc..) that give Staal and Semin more freedom, but Semin's defensive and playmaking ability has been a pleasant surprise.
I did like that his defensive game was picking up near the end of his time with Washington, but as I recall he only had one good year in the postseason and was a ghost the rest of the time.
If Semin came cheap then sure why not, Devs can always scratch him like they did Sykora, but if he costs a 1st rounder or a top prospect you gotta play him.
Semin would not be too much of a risk if they did a one year deal like Carolina did.
Semin puts the puck where things happen... That's the biggest difference for the Canes this year... Right now, he's not getting his goals, but he's shooting at half his career shooting %, so that will come around... But, the puck is always moving into dangerous areas for the opposing team and Staal is pretty masterful in areas around the net so he's taking advantage of it... Estaal actually looks surprised at times as the puck ends up on his stick based on his career linemates
Or he he didnt improve at all and just switched teams.
I like that theory. Watching him infrequently on Washington last year, I could never figure out what all the fuss was about. I hoped the Leafs would sign him, He ended up being a scapegoat for a dysfunctional franchise. Glad to see him doing so well in Carolina.
Semin is a great two way forward. I think he would have fit perfectly with the Devils. He just gets ripped by the media because they are full of ignorant Canadians who for some reason enjoy pointing out the flaws in Russian players.
Semin is a great two way forward. I think he would have fit perfectly with the Devils. He just gets ripped by the media because they are full of ignorant Canadians who for some reason enjoy pointing out the flaws in Russian players.
Second is that he is much better defensively than I expected. Tlusty is still the "responsible" guy on that line doing all the little things (3rd man high, going into corners, first in on the forecheck, etc..) that give Staal and Semin more freedom, but Semin's defensive and playmaking ability has been a pleasant surprise.
