Not so long ago, the news that Doug Wilson had signed a defenseman routinely filled Sharks fans with mild trepidation. In the Sharks’ post-lockout heyday, DW had a clear preference for a certain type of d-man: hulking and physical, they often weren’t so good with the puck. So for every Rob Blake and Dan Boyle acquisition, there was a chance the Sharks would end up with someone...less-skilled.
Which brings us to today’s installment of ex-Shark of the Week: Alexei Semenov. Alexei Semenov is a big man who grew into a big defenseman. Born in 1981 in Murmansk, a Russian city so far north that it is literally inside the Arctic Circle, Semenov grew up big and he grew up strong.