No question concerning the skills of Alexander Semin - but how about his attitude?
Semin is a real artist when playing with the puck, but his attitude fits in the traditional image of "a russian diva on ice". The skilled winger is not always interested in defence work - not mentioning the problems with training staff. Semin was actually cut off the team a couple of days before the tournament, but head coach Rafail Ishmatov decided to take him back a day later - and it is said that this happened on request of the other players in the team.
- Hard to say. Suppose I´ve got quick feet, a good shot and the ability to serve the puck efficiently, Semin characterises himself as a player.
How should he develop himself as a player? A young player like him must have many things to improve, most of all the attitude. Semin does not want to get in any details about his game.
- Everything depends on myself. I believe I’m a better player tomorrow than I am today.
The NHL-player from Washington hasn’t got a significant role so far, playing in the fourth line of his team. He has, however, played on the powerplay - sometimes even at the blue line. Scoring points has been more difficult as expected, but if he really gets it going, he'll be one of the top guns in the Russian arsenal.
Directly to the NHL - as a teen-ager
After the training camp last summer, Semin assured the leaders of the Washington training team in such manner, that he secured a place in the 23-player roster right from the beginning of the season. During October he played in only four games, but missed only two games of 14 in November. If he would not have got enough playing time or will not get it after the Junior Championships - there is a safety plan:
- There is a paragraph in my agreement which allows me to return to Russia if my playing time will not satisfy me - I would of course discuss with my agent if I would get in that kind of situation.
In Washington, too, there has been discussion about Semin’s future for the rest of the season. According to the Washington Post the GM of the Caps will visit Finland around New Year to watch Semin’s play in the tournament, and after that the Capitals will decide where Semin is going to play for the rest of the season.
- They’ve been talking like this in Washington? I have not heard of this before, Semin replies seemingly surprised.
By the tournament the most skillful puck handler of the Caps rookies had scored three goals and assisted five in the NHL. It has been a while since a Washington draftee has shown nice ice virtuosity to the fans of the team.
- Hard to tell, the season is still young. I feel that my season has been going fine so far, Semin comments his own performance.
If Semin has done well so far, the situation of his team is quite the opposite. The Caps are lying almost at the bottom of the whole NHL. Head coach Bruce Cassidy was replaced by his assistant Glen Hanlon in mid-december. Semin does not want to criticize his ex-coach.
- It is difficult for me to criticize coaches. He was a young coach in NHL, but I really cannot say anything about him.
How about the chemistry in the team? There has been rumours about cliques and schisms. The young russian tells it's only hearsay.
- It's a quite usual team and players are not classified by their russian or other origins. The team spirit is good and all players are friends with one another.
The first press conference in the Junior World Championships showed Semin's lacking knowledge in English language. During the training camp and playing season he has been accommodated with other russian or East-European players in order to make practical arrangements easier. How do you manage in a country where they speak a language you don´t understand at all?
- Well, they speak english down there, but luckily there´s five other russian-speaking guys in the team - it helps a lot. I try to speak as much as I can, too.
It is easy to understand why Semin has not adopted the english language so quickly, when we started to discuss the Washington City and how he spends his spare time.
- The city is very nice and there´s plenty of russian friends and people. I´ve spent a lot of time together with them - maybe that´s why I have not paid so much attention in learning english.
To Capitals with speed
Semin signed an NHL-contract with Washington Capitals, who had drafted him in the 1st round in 2002. The skillful winger left for professional hockey at the age of 19, having just one season behind him in the Russian top league.
The same decision has been made by many other promising players. Teen-age players in Europe and also in Finland (like players in Finnish Junior Championships team, Hannu Toivonen and Sean Bergenheim who left the Finnish league even before establishing a secure place in the roster of their team) don´t have time to entertain the spectators in their home countries more than a year or two before they travel across the Atlantic ocean.
From the young player´s point of view the decision is often an easy and simple one. There are much more things speaking for the the decision than against it. The European teams of course prefer that their players would mature in their home countries, but the youngsters today are much more prepared to the challenges in the NHL than they did before.
- I had nothing to lose. On the contrary, signing the contract opened new opportunities for me. I consider this a great opportunity to proceed in my career.
Semin has been able to avoid a culture shock thanks to his many Russian friends in Washington. The shock on the ice may have been more severe: playing ice hockey in NHL and in Russian top league differ a lot from each other.
- There is much more practising in Russia, twice a day. In the NHL we practise once a day and the rest of the day is off. This is a significant difference, Semin describes the practicing cultures on the other sides of the Atlantic ocean.
There are some exceptions in the rules in Europe and in the NHL: The red line off-side has not been forgotten in the NHL, and the referees in the NHL do not whistle for icing if a player of the defensing team does not touch the puck first.
- I have got used to the the red line off-side rule quite well, but the icing rule seems to take much more time to get used to.
In the beginning of last season Semin did not get much time on ice or scoring points in the fourth line of his team Lada Togliatti. In the other half of the season Semin, however, advanced very quickly to one of the most credited players in the team. Finally, in the play off-rounds he was one the leading scorers of the whole league.
- It was my first season on the highest level, and therefore I might have been a little shy in the beginning of the season, and I could not immidiately step into the role I should have. After New Year I seized a bigger role in the team and I finished the season very successfully.
Nice playing in the latter part of the season was rewarded with a nomination to the Russian World Championship team. Thus, playing in Finland is nothing new to Semin. He had no points in his six games, but the sheer nomination to the team was a great success to Semin.
- It was a surprise for me to be invited to the team. I am very proud of it.
Does the Russian team have enough of motivation and attitude?
Russia has played on thin ice so far in the tournament. They had difficulties in winning the Swedish team and they had to satisfy with a tie against the Slovakian team. Austria was beaten by modest numbers and against the USA the Russian team had no chance at all.
Most of the problems have been inside their heads. There are many skillful players in the team, but it seems hard to combine them. Semin agrees.
- Our guys do really try to give everything they´ve got. Something about the attitude and mental preparation does not work and needs improving.
When the interviewer tries to ask whether the army of hockey scouts in the hall has any influence on the thoughts of the players, Semin does not allow the translator to finish the sentence.
- I do not pay any attention to the scouts.
According to Semin the goal of the Russian team in the tournament is simple. Their opponent in the quarter-final round is the hosting country, Finland, and they have to move up a level or two if they want to keep up their dream of the gold medals.
- We want to be on the first place, says Semin very briefly.
