When the NHL named Alexander Semin its First Star of the month for October, we chided our media colleagues for paying more attention to Alex Ovechkin’s visit to his sick grandfather. Yes, Ovechkin won all four of the NHL’s trophies for scoring leaders and most valuable players, but that was last year. Why, we asked, was the best player of October 2008 any less exciting than the best player of 2007-2008?

Ovechkin, of course, just kept on playing hockey and trying to help the Caps win. Then the NHL’s leading scorer, Semin, got hurt, and Ovechkin stepped up his game. With the Capitals missing three of their top six forwards and four of their only six NHL defensemen, Ovechkin took over. With four goals in two games, Ovi helped the Caps win two straight games, even after injuries forced them to sign and call up 36-year-old defenseman Bryan Hellmer from the AHL’s Hershey Bears – the same Bryan Hellmer who had never played more than half of an NHL season for a number of average teams before he was permanently returned to the minors in 2004. Ovechkin led a great team effort that helped Jose Theodore earn his first shut out as a Cap and his first against his former team, the Montreal Canadiens.

Now the NHL has named Ovechkin its First Star for the month of November, and we’re inclined to agree. After all, earlier this week we told you his play made a sound argument for him to repeat as the league’s MVP. But then, this is only the beginning of the season. Wait until Alexander Semin gets healthy again, and let’s see what happens.