Semin Takes Advantage of the Limelight While Ovechkin is Away

Alexander Ovechkin is out of the country tending to his sick grandfather back in Russia which is exactly the reason that Alexander Semin has chosen to take full advantage of the situation and begin running his mouth. He's smart enough to realize that this will be his only opportunity to be in the forefront while playing in the shadow of Ovechkin (and other young players in the NHL more talented than he is).

But how does he use the opportunity? Not so wisely since he takes shots at Sidney Crosby and makes himself look like a complete ass in the process. YAHOO!'s Puck Daddy recently interviewed Semin and here's what he had to say about Crosby which has everyone talking:

Many people believe the Crosby/Malkin/Ovechkin rivalry is now the Crosby/Malkin/Ovechkin/Semin rivalry. Do you believe you're on that level of hockey stardom at this point in your career?

What's so special about [Crosby]? I don't see anything special there. Yes, he does skate well, has a good head, good pass. But there's nothing else. Even if you compare him to Patrick Kane from Chicago ... [Kane] is a much more interesting player. The way he moves, his deking abilities, his thinking on the ice and his anticipation of the play is so superb.

I think that if you take any player, even if he is "dead wood," and start promoting him, you'll get a star. Especially if he scores 100 points. No one is going to care about anyone else. No one is going to care whether he possesses great skill. Let's say you put someone in front of the net and let him deflect pucks in, and he scored 50 goals; everyone will say "Wow!" and then hand him a $10 million per year contract. That's what they like here.

What's so special about Crosby? "Skates well, has a good head, good pass" and there's nothing else? What else is there? This isn't talent in Semin's book? And when was the last time Semin scored 100 points? Maybe the reason he talks so bitterly is because the closest he's ever come to 100 points was the 2006-2007 season when he had 73 points which isn't even close; however, it may just qualify him for the other category of "dead wood." Sounds like someone is bitter to me. Jealous much, Semin?!

Sorry, but this guy's 15 minutes in the spotlight will soon be up after Ovechkin returns and players like Crosby and Malkin (and even Ovechkin, for that matter) will continue to dominate radio and television long after the spotlight is off of this joker whether he agrees with it or not.

What players like Semin don't realize is that it takes more than talent to be something special in today's NHL which is why someone like Crosby can be marketed so easily. His qualities off the ice are just as important as the ones he possesses on the ice and this interview is exactly why players like Semin are not chosen to be promoted by the NHL -- most of them don't have the slightest clue how to handle themselves with the media. If he wasn't so arrogant, maybe he could learn a few things from Crosby and create more opportunities for himself rather than squandering the few opportunities he does get by complaining about players more talented than he is.