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Evaluating the Alexander Semin market

by Craig Lowell       July 9th, 2012 1:23 PM

In a continuation of his reputation as an NHL enigma, no one can seem to figure out what free agent Alexander Semin is going to do. The former 40-goal scorer is coming off of back-to-back disappointing seasons in which he scored 54 points in each, but still possesses one of the best wrist shots in the game, along with above average speed and passing ability. It’s what made people label him as the best of the free agent class after obvious headliners Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. However, his reputation for being a bad locker room presence who takes shifts and even entire games off has clearly overshadowed his many skills and potential to be a dynamic offensive player.

Semin was at his best when skating on a line with Alex Ovechkin, but his mercurial personality and play last season resulted in Capitals coach Dale Hunter dropping him down to the third line with Jason Chimera and Mathieu Perrault. And judging by the lack of long-term contracts that are being offered to the 28-year-old Russian right now, there aren’t too many in the NHL who think that his positives outweigh his negatives.

Semin has reportedly been offered a contract to play with CKSA Moscow of the KHL, which is certainly more than he’ll make on an NHL deal at this point. However, the fact that he hasn’t taken it yet shows that his preference is clearly to stay in North America. But at this point, the best he could likely hope for is a 3-year contract worth around $5 million per season, which less than he made in each of his last two one-year deals with Washington ($6 and $6.7m, respectively).

The most likely scenario is for Semin to sign another one-year “prove it” contract in which he can show a team that he will work hard within their system, but he and his agent are going to look for longer deals before it comes to that. That, however, is where the suitors begin to wane. The Capitals are unlikely to bring him back after this much time, so just who’s out there who might be interested in bringing Semin aboard?

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