Having experienced the NHL from the same perspective as most members of the mainstream sports media (through covering the Canadiens for the team’s official website in 2013-14), it is very difficult for me to accept the way Alex Semin is being portrayed by the media in recent days. Casting doubts about #13’s contributions nine games into an undefeated season is, at best, misleading.
In a particularly puzzling instance last week, a panelist on a popular post-game show was faulting Semin’s streaky tendencies and inconsistent play.
Never mind that this person, a former Canadiens captain, scored 40 goals in his best year, he also went goal-less a whopping 55 times that regular season.