Semen Varlamov Goalkeeper of the Russian youth hockey team Date of Birth: 27.04.1988 Country: USA

Semen Varlamov - Biography

Semen Varlamov was born and raised in Samara, Russia. He began playing hockey at the sports school CSK VVS in Samara, and later moved to Yaroslavl, where he became the dominant goalie for the local team in the 1988 birth year group.

In the 2004/05 season, Varlamov made his debut for Lokomotiv's farm club, Lokomotiv-2, in the Russian League 1. He became the team's starting goalie for the 2005/06 season after Ivan Kasutin was loaned to Penza.

In 2008, Varlamov helped Lokomotiv reach the playoff finals of the Super League, but they ultimately lost to Salavat. Following his selection in the 2006 NHL Draft as the 23rd overall pick by the Washington Capitals, Varlamov signed a three-year entry-level contract with them on July 11, 2007.

Varlamov moved to North America before the 2008/09 season and displayed excellent skills during the Capitals' training camp. However, he started the season with their AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears. He made his NHL debut on December 13, 2008, against the Montreal Canadiens, where he recorded 32 saves and was named the first star of the game. Five days later, on December 18, he played his first home game for Washington against the St. Louis Blues, making 29 saves and being named the second star of the game.

Varlamov spent most of the season playing for the Hershey Bears in the AHL, but in February 2009, he was called up to the Capitals to serve as a backup when Brent Johnson suffered a hip injury. Varlamov played only six games (5-0-1) for the Capitals, with a goals against average of 2.37 and a save percentage of 0.918%. He also had a strong finish to the season with the Hershey Bears, posting a 19-7-1 record in 27 games.

During the 2008/09 NHL playoffs, Varlamov became the starting goalie for the Capitals in the first round against the New York Rangers after Jose Theodore allowed four goals in the first game of the series, which the Capitals lost 3-4. Varlamov played in the second game, losing 0-1, but went on to win two out of the next three games, including a shutout in the third game with 33 saves. He was named the first star of that game. The Capitals ultimately won the series 4-3, with Varlamov being named the second and first star in the sixth and seventh games, respectively.

In the following series against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Varlamov's outstanding play helped stretch the series to seven games. He was recognized as one of the stars in the first three games (first star in the first game, and third star in the second and third games). However, despite Varlamov's efforts and the leadership of Alex Ovechkin, the Capitals were unable to win the series, losing 3-4.

Semen Varlamov's performance in the 2008-09 season solidified his reputation as one of the top goalies in the league.