SwOOsh said:Anyone watching Semin run the powerplay for the Capitals right now =)
Kabers said:This is why I love watching Semin so much. He's only 20 years old and yet he is running the power play like a seasoned vet. He is so calm and has such composure to go along with his great vision on the ice. When he's on the PP, he rarely takes the shot himself -- instead he looks to set up the other guys and always manages to fire an incredible pass that almost always results in a goal. His efforts out there are definitely why Halpern and Miller keep racking up points. Semin's already got a PP goal tonite and another beautiful PP assist to go along with his two point performance last game against the Rags.
I think he's already begun to give up that flashy play of the youngster. In fact, I've been noticing recently that even when he's not on the PP, he is definitely looking to pass more than shoot, as opposed to earllier this year when he never seemed to want to give up the puck. Hanlon benched Semin earlier in the season to teach the kid a lesson that in order to play he had to shape up and be responsible defensively. Semin has really responded since then and his defensive play, although far from perfect, does improve with every game. He's also definitely got an edge to his game that's refreshing and has actually jumped into a few scrums this year.
I'm not trying to be a homer or anything, but I am just absolutely in awe of Semin's talent. Maybe it's just because he's the lone bright spot in a dismal season and one of the few things to inspire any type of excitement or hope in Caps fans recently. But I do think once he puts on some weight and learns to stay on his skates, he'll definitely be a force to be reckoned with.
st_roland said:I might be getting ahead of myself, but i'm thinking that Sasha might be our best draft pick since Sergei.
We'll see, but i'm hopeful.
Its coming 1-2 years away though.Chimaera said:Just needs to finish a little more.
Though that'll come.
Imagine when Sasha gets some real talent on his line what'll happen.
st_roland said:I might be getting ahead of myself, but i'm thinking that Sasha might be our best draft pick since Sergei.
We'll see, but i'm hopeful.
txpd said:Sasha? Getting into the pet names already?
anyway....may I say that I am struck by how strong pair Semin and Halpern seem to be. That's a pair you would never have seen coming.
txpd said:Sasha? Getting into the pet names already?
anyway....may I say that I am struck by how strong pair Semin and Halpern seem to be. That's a pair you would never have seen coming.
Chimaera said:It's called Halpern holding on for dear life so he won't be shipped out.
No... it's more along the lines of, it is someone who has a little speed and has more talent then the rest of the bunch, so Semin is helping him out a lot.
The one thing that I like about him that hasn't been mentioned is how much some of the guys are taking to him. I think Witt's comments were telling, where he talked about how much he thinks Semin will be a prankster and one of the guys. He seems to just have youthful enthusiasm, and a desire to be one of the guys.
Now, a little bit cocky, sure, but a lot of good players have been cocky.
Sammy said:Well, my point is that I dunno if I have ever seen a thread where an 8 goal scorer who was not picked in the top 2 or 3 players in a draft has been mentioned so consistenly as virtually a guaranteed superstar (hyperbole, but get my point).
SneakerPimp82 said:Sasha is the short form of Aleksandr. i.e. Jim for James. Unless you consider Jim a pet name as well, then you're just being consistent.
Nope. But that doesnt take away from my points.Ridley Simon said:Have you ever seen Semin play, Sammy??
And give me an honest answer, not some "sure I have!"
BMWM3owner said:Even as a Caps' fan, I think some are jumping the gun on Semin...he's played beyond expectations this year but we're still atleast another year or two away from knowing what kind of player we actually have on our hands...had Semin played the entire season, he certainly would be top 5 in rookie scoring...even when Cassidy was benching him for lengths of time, he would come back and score a point or two...the notable difference between and his first a couple of games is he's not trying to stick handle through players as much as before...I orginally thought of him as a goal scorer but he's looking like he's a real playmaker...even though he tends to get knock around in traffic and the boards, he'll still take the body to make the play and for a player of his size, i think thats suprising...Hanlon is going to let Semin the rest of the season to run loose and see what he's really capable of, if he isnt sent down to portland but i dont know what the deal with that is...depending on the lockout situation, 20g 20a season is a good bet...I hope he's the real deal, but like a few people said, its way too early to know...cant believe this our first really offensive minded prospect to play significant nhl minutes since Zednik
I dont think Semin will turn out to be as good as Kovalchuk...Semin has alot of raw skill but Kovalchuk is the perfect goal scorer package...maybe he's closer to Gaborik or Hejduk
Semin's Hightest Potential:
35-40g 40a
top 10 point scorer
top 10 goal scorer
doubt any trophies
Semin's Lowest Potential:
20g 20a
Sammy said:Nope. But that doesnt take away from my points.
Where did I criticize the guy? I simply indicated that for an eight goal scorer he sure was been hyped (which he sure was in this thread)& that db, when he injected a bit more of a tempered point of view was accused (or so I thought) of hating the guy, which I disagreed with.Ridley Simon said:right.
That's like taking a movie review from someone who's never seen the movie. In court, it's called "hearsay", and it's not admissable.
You're validity level just went down quite a few ratchets in my book. How can you criticize without even seeing the product????
dink182 said:No one has compared Semin to Ales Hemsky? That's gotta be one of the better comparisons and more realistic than Kovy or Hejduk.
EroCaps said:Hmm...we'll see. Semin has sick potential.
Well, the draft is surely going to help, but even without the draft, the Caps have Fehr, Aulin, Klepis, Johansson, and Fleischmann waiting in the wings already. Many of those players are flawed in some ways, but they are all thought to be offensively capable, and projected for somewhere in the vicinity of second-line NHL potential. Some may not make it, but some probably will.pavel datsyuk said:Semin has no talent around him, which should change after the draft, but having no one else to compete with for ice time is a good thing.
Hopefully he wil fully develop, but even after that, 35-40 is the most i see for him.