Alexander Semin has had a season to forget.
The Carolina Hurricanes forward has just one goal in 26 games and is expected to be a healthy scratch for a third consecutive game.
Hurricanes coach Bill Peters has questioned Semin’s physical condition on several occasions this year and he had some pointed comments about the struggling Russian forward in Tuesday’s News & Observer.
When asked whether Semin’s production has been frustrating, Peters told local reporter Chip Alexander: “We just play the guys who dig in and work and play with speed in both directions and play hard. It’s not hard.”
Peters added that he has had various conversations with Semin this season, but “something isn’t working.” According to Peters, the Hurricanes need to see a better effort from Semin to re-insert him back into the line-up.
“I talk about competitive people being in a competitive environment and we want to win. We are playing our best 20 players in order to win hockey players.”
The Hurricanes coach referenced an example that Semin could learn from. He pointed to fourth-liner Brad Malone, who responded after being made a health scratch by scoring in consecutive games.
“That’s better than talking to the coach. That’s showing the coach,” Peters explained. “That’s showing your teammates, that’s showing your organization you want to play. Show me. It’s simple.”
Despite Semin’s troubling season, the Hurricanes are not considering moving on from the highly-priced winger.
“Alex is a part of the Hurricanes and we’ll continue to work with him and try to help him be the player we think he can be,” Francis told the local reporter. “Our job is to continue to work with him and get the message through.
“We think we can do it. We’re not giving up on him at all.”
Semin signed a five-year extension worth $35 million in March of 2013.
