Semin or Backstrom?

Backstrom without a doubt. You can not deny Semin’s talent, but if you have to keep one, you keep the player who is almost always focused and makes the smart play over the guy whose lapse in focus occasionally puts the team in trouble and overshadows his talent

couldnt’y agree more

How many votes do we get to before we see one for Sasha?

Does this thread automatically detonate if it gets to 50-0?

This is an interesting academic discussion, but the good news is it’s probably unnecessary. Even if the cap drops a fair amount, the team should have the money to keep both. Here’s the cap space held by unrestricted free agents that should open up by the coming summer

4,875,000 – Michael Nylander (replaced by nobody)
3,678,333 – Jose Theodore’s 4,500,000 replaced by Neuvirth’s 821,667
2,500,000 – Brian Pothier (representing the 8th defenseman; replaced by nobody)
300,000 – Shaone Morrisonn’s 1,975,000 replaced by Alzner’s 1,675,000
529,167 – Milan Jurcina’s 1,375,000 replaced by Carlson’s 845,833

Total: 11,882,500

Brendan Morrison and David Steckel are both unrestricted free agents next year. Backstrom, Semin, Schultz, Flash, Fehr, and Gordon are RFAs.

Let’s say the cap goes down by 1.5 million. 2 million is allocated to giving raises to Schultz, Flash, Fehr, Gordon, and Morrison and Steckel (or whoever replaces the UFAs). That leaves 8 million to pay for raises for Backstrom and Semin, which is more than be enough to get them up to the 7 million dollar level, which I think is probably more than either of them will make. Datsyk at 6.7 Million and Iginla at 7 Million are good comparables. It’s hard to justify paying either Backstrom or Semin more than those gentlemen — at least not yet.

It gets more interesting if the Caps trade for a crease-clearing defenseman during this season, but even then there is enough flexibility that they should be able to make it all work.

I’d wonder if people would vote for Semin or what/who we could get for him in trade.

His talent-level is top notch. He’s sure to be responible for his share of wins again this season. But the discipline issues in play, and still not being able to figure out the difference between a poke check and a slash…

We can assume that the difference between what Backstrom makes now and what he will make with his new contract is far greater than the difference between what Semin makes now and what his new contract will bring him. Therefore, won’t it cost a lot more (over what’s being paid now) to keep Backstrom?

That said, I would not be surprised to see them both resigned and on the roster next year.

Where’s the option for “avatar”?

It becomes a malpractice to have this same poll every few months (weeks?) or so. If it’d been offered before the last game or a week ago, the results would’ve been different for sure. Wait until at least the mid-season or after the Olympics, when statistical fluctuations of game-to-game performances are smeared out, and then ask it again.

I think most of what you need to know about this vote can be found here.

Hey guys, don’t be so harsh! They didn’t spend the long offseason here.
Baxter FTW, by the way.

The only way Semin would be first is if he didn’t take so many penalties and if we already had a legit 1st line center, like Big Joe or Savard. But, we have the opposite in Ovi, so Backstrom is an obvious vote.

poti?

Baxter, always and forever. He’s a better player and he fills a more important role on the team. I can’t even see how this is a question.

You have to consider that if you let Backis go, you don’t have a damn thing in the way of centers. There is not one center on this team that can play first or second line minutes if Backis and Morrison go. Can we afford Backstrom, Semin, AND a second line center?