Indestructible.
A warrior.
A figure to be feared …
These are words a few shocked Calgary Flames used to describe longtime nemesis Dave Semenko, who died Thursday at the young age of 59 from pancreatic cancer.
“He was one of the reasons that made the Battle of Alberta great,” said former Flames defenceman Jamie Macoun, reflecting on the 1980s edition of the Battle of Alberta.
“Back then, we were bred to hate the Edmonton Oilers. I didn’t like him.
“I feared him.”
Macoun likened Semenko’s presence to a scene from the movie Slap Shot, when the Charlestown Chiefs realized they wouldn’t be facing ferocious foe Ogie Ogilthorpe in an upcoming tilt because he’d been suspended.