Michal Neuvirth's comments to Czech press have gotten juicier, as he had more fascinating things to say about the Capitals and their organization, calling out former teammate Alexander Semin, celebrating the departure of coach Dale Hunter, and saying Alexander Ovechkin has declined as a player.
We already heard what Neuvirth had to say about his competition for the goalie spot in Washington as he called Braden Holtby "the weakest competition" he's ever faced for a starting gig. This time, his comments =- again via Russian Machine Never Breaks, translated by Karolina Martinkova -- touched on some more prominent targets.
On Semin, now with the Carolina Hurricanes:
If Semin wanted to, he could have been the best player in the world, but he doesn't want to every day. And that's wrong.
On his former coach, Hunter:
Generally, I didn't find a way to him. I had good relationships with Bruce [Boudreau] and with farm-team coach Bob Woods, but not with Hunter. I don't know, he simply didn't talk to us goalies at all, I think he criticized us sometimes for no reason. From my point of view, it's good he left.
And on the Caps' star, Ovechkin:
He isn't what he used to be, that's for sure. And if a team like ours wants to have a chance in Stanley Cup, we need Ovi to be the best. We all expect that from him; he has to be the real leader. But it's hard you know, he achieved everything as a player. He was on absolute top, and then one can only fall down. I just hope that Ovi will stop falling and instead stops and maybe tries to get back on top.
His statements on Ovechkin weren't all criticism -- he sees Ovi as a leader and is excited to play alongside him, but still, interesting remarks to say the least. One wonders whether Neuvirth might have been less talkative had he known his comments would make their way back to American soil, but it's too late for that now.
For more on the Caps, check out Japers' Rink and keep it locked on SB Nation DC.