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Evgeny Kuznetsov vs Alexander Semin

Who was the better player?

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    58
Felidae

Felidae

Registered User
Sep 30, 2016
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Both highly skilled washington players that some may say underachieved relative to talent, and ended up leaving the NHL around the same age with a similar amount of GP.

Who was the better player? Consider everything from peak, prime, Career etc.


Evgeny Kuznetsov

47th in points from 2013-2023

Led playoffs in points during cup run
Points: 9th


Alexander Semin

55th in points from 2007-2015

Goals: 7
GPG: 4, 5
PPG: 4, 7
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Semin had a bigger impact when healthy; alas, he only played 77 games per season twice and outside of that played less than 65 games per season, while Kuznetsov played 79+ five times.
HockeyReference prorates them to 19g+44a (Kuznetsov) vs. 30g+35a (Semin).
So in terms of talent and the ability to take over a game it is Semin, but it is close.
 
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Eh, I'd say Kuznetsov had the better ability to take over a game. I think his skating and ability to create space was otherworldly. Something that Semin wasn't quite on that level of imo

Which is no slight to him at all, his ability to wheel and snipe is up there with the best of them
 
Kuznetsov was the ingredient that finally put the Capitals over the top. When he fell off the face of the earth, so did his team as serious contenders.

Semin was really nice sniping and skating, but he didn't remotely zone-entry or drive overall play like peak Kuznetsov.
 
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sr edler said:
Kuznetsov was the ingredient that finally put the Capitals over the top. When he fell off the face of the earth, so did his team as serious contenders.
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There was a lot more wrong with the team than that.

Backstrom also fell off a cliff at the same time, Oshie was significantly injured, and they lost a ton of talent to salary cap (Burakovsky, Nate Schmidt, Chandler Stephenson, Philip Grubauer, Niskanen, Orlov, etc.).

Nevermind that they had a cup winning coach and idiotically let him walk.
 
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Kuzy was better but I’ll always have a soft spot for Semin.

I’ll never forget him loading up a slapshot on Tim Thomas from centre ice in OT and Tim Thomas sprinting off the ice afterwards lmao

 
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Coffee said:
he stopped
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goodfellaslaugh.gif



Sure.


:biglaugh:
 
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rockymtnoyster said:
Semin had a wicked shot, but have to say Kuzy. More impactful overall, won faceoffs and was better defensively.
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Time has clouded your judgement, amigo. Kuzy was below average to weak on faceoffs and was actually worse than Syomin defensively (though Alex's effort was inconsistent as well).
Our Lady Peace said:
Eh, I'd say Kuznetsov had the better ability to take over a game.
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Idk about that. There's a reason HFCaps used to joke about Sasha having 'God mode' all those years ago.

Syomin's 2009 and 2010s seasons were the best among the two IMO; people consider Syomin's 40-goal season his peak, but the year before he was actually better (4th in the PPG in the league, just behind prime Ovechkin, Crosby and Malkin). Kuzya has his amazing Cup run though, which is far better than any other posteseason by both of them.

It's close, but I would definitely pick peak Syomin for a season.
 
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This is actually a pretty tough one. Well done OP. I voted for Kuznetsov, but that's just based on my opinion not watching a lot of Washington games during each of the two players' careers, and probably shows recency bias in that regard.
 
Semin is unfairly criticized. He was exceedingly productive and even was PPG in the playoffs the first two years the rebuilding Caps made the playoffs in 2008 and 2009 (8 in 7GP, then 14 in 14GP). Yet as time passed, his playoff production declined and his story became intertwined with the narrative that the Caps would put up strong regular seasons but disappoint in the playoffs.

He was the more talented of the two, I think.

And where does that leave Kuznetsov? He was better for a longer period, but his playoff production stats look similar to those of Semin (he was in the playoffs more). Two or three great seasons, and then good to middling the rest of the time.

The difference for any Caps fan is his 32 points in 24 playoff games in 2018. That trumps anything.

A Caps fan should say Kuznetsov, who probably should have won the Conn Smythe in 2018. A Russian might take a stand for Semin, and I wouldn't fight you on that, though. It's close. Both carry enigmatic Russian labels and both deserve better reputations. These were elite players.
 
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Poll asks who was the "better player".

Kuzy had a great playoff run, and was healthy more often. But Semin was the better hockey player. He was the more talented guy. One of the only players out there who could keep up to Crosby/Ovie/Malkin in points-per-game at their peak.
 
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Kuzy had an incredible peak in which he heavily contributed to a Stanley Cup championship. I take nothing away from Semin but he always seemed like a high end third wheel type player.
 
sr edler said:
Kuznetsov was the ingredient that finally put the Capitals over the top. When he fell off the face of the earth, so did his team as serious contenders.

Semin was really nice sniping and skating, but he didn't remotely zone-entry or drive overall play like peak Kuznetsov.
Click to expand...

I don’t believe this is correct. Whatever edge Kuznetsov had in carrying the puck Semin made up for by being a better defensive player and vastly superior goal scorer. They are quite close at their best though, good poll.

banks said:
Poll asks who was the "better player".

Kuzy had a great playoff run, and was healthy more often. But Semin was the better hockey player. He was the more talented guy. One of the only players out there who could keep up to Crosby/Ovie/Malkin in points-per-game at their peak.
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Semin at his peak was a better player than Stamkos. I firmly believe that.
 
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Kuznetsov was better all-around talent, and his playoff run in Caps cup year was better play than at any point in Semin playoff history

But on other hand Semin can bang on the drums all day
 
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