Semin's Future

by oVecKid on Dec 7, 2009 12:46 PM EST

Now let me put this out here first, I'm somewhat of a new hockey fan, compared to most on this site. I started watching the caps near the end of the Bondra days, and have no way grasped the complexities of the Cap. With that being said, I'm aware of the impending free agencies of the likes of players such as Semin and Backstrom. Now seeing as we need a number one center, I'm sure we will lock up Backy. Now that leaves Mr. Alex Semin.

My question is, realistically, what are the chances of the team retaining Semin at the end of the year, or possibly trading him before the deadline. Do we have the money to keep him? And is he worth the money he's likely to be asking for?

Don't be too harsh on my lack of knowledge.

Poll

Keep him?

Def. Yes

90 votes

Def. No

3 votes

If the price is right...

110 votes

203 votes | Poll has closed

If this FanPost is written by someone other than one of the blog's editors, the opinions expressed in it do not necessarily reflect those of this blog or SB Nation.

Tweet Comment 34 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

even among the semin supporters, i think you’ll find the consensus is that everything boils down to the $$s. i’d love to see semin back…but certainly not at any price, and honestly not for more than $6mil.

i do wonder why there’s been so little news on the semin and backstrom contract fronts.

GMGM waiting to get one last look at sasha in postseason crunch time? does the market get better or worse re: locking up these two players the longer the caps wait?

by Natty Bumppo on Dec 7, 2009 1:00 PM EST reply actions

Semin has the KHL complicating matters, plus the fact that no one seems to know what the heck he’s thinking. For all we know, Semin’s true passion is traversing the forests of Siberia with his girl by his side…

"No TV and no beer make Homer go something something."

by apk3000 on Dec 7, 2009 1:12 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs

Rec’d and lawled.

by harehareyukai on Dec 7, 2009 1:48 PM EST up reply actions

Agree – KHL will be the bigger problem than NHL.
He’s still RFA.

by Stormblue on Dec 7, 2009 3:21 PM EST up reply actions

this is why i shouldn’t post after going away for the weekend. even if it’s only rumblings at the moment, lebrun was on ESPN.com and HNIC referencing ongoing negotations for backstrom/semin…today’s and yesterday’s caps clips. apparently semin has already turned down one offer.

by Natty Bumppo on Dec 7, 2009 1:25 PM EST up reply actions

I would go 7 mil if he didn’t have an injury problem and if he didnt take all those dumb penalties. Without injury, he can be a 40-50 goal scorer, even if it is in spurts.

by hockeyman33 on Dec 8, 2009 5:05 PM EST up reply actions

We can only take both showcases if we get close to the right price without going over

by Icebat on Dec 7, 2009 2:59 PM EST reply actions

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by winterion on Dec 7, 2009 3:32 PM EST up reply actions

Have your Penguins spayed and neutered?

Caps fan in Minnesota

by ennisj471 on Dec 7, 2009 3:45 PM EST up reply actions

I was thinking “have Carcillo spayed or neutered” as it helps control aggression.

But I think they’d have problems finding things to cut down there

by Icebat on Dec 7, 2009 3:57 PM EST up reply actions

we don’t want any more Croby-staches

by hockeyman33 on Dec 8, 2009 5:06 PM EST up reply actions

Semin

I’m pretty sure most of us want him back but yea there is a price problem, and remember all the other UFAs and RFAs we need to lock up so it has to be at the right price

by washfan29 on Dec 7, 2009 3:08 PM EST via mobile reply actions

This of course is a make-or-break season for him. If he shines like in these past two outings, he’s getting a 20% ish raise. If not, he may well be traded at the deadline (or later, Burke-Kessel style). Lucky he is RFA though.

by red army line on Dec 7, 2009 3:46 PM EST reply actions

Thing is, he’s not going to keep that level of play for an entire season. We know we’re going to get some games that drop our jaws and some games that make us moan and hold our heads.

Only YOU can prevent idiots from commenting!

by Knee high to a duck on Dec 7, 2009 4:01 PM EST up reply actions

Disagreed. Very very very likely that continues, but it may not.

by red army line on Dec 8, 2009 7:57 AM EST up reply actions

What!?!?! Come on. We know you love Semin but how can you say “very very very likely” that he continues this pace given his history? The Semin lobby is respectfully being asked to return to earth.

You're the reason that I hate Nova Scotia.

by Rob Parker on Dec 8, 2009 11:48 AM EST up reply actions

Sorry, meant very likely that he continues being inconsistent. The idea was that there’s a slim chance he cuts down on the “troughs” in his game while maintaining the “crests” so that he’s not a liability when invisible.

by red army line on Dec 8, 2009 12:32 PM EST up reply actions

I really need to read the comment I’m replying to before I post a reply to make sure I point out my thinking, logic, any jumps, assumptions, ambiguous pronoun antecedents, etc.

by red army line on Dec 8, 2009 12:38 PM EST up reply actions

Heh. No problem. After clarification I completely agree with you.

You're the reason that I hate Nova Scotia.

by Rob Parker on Dec 8, 2009 5:47 PM EST up reply actions

It’s possible, but highly unlikely based on prior evidence and every passing day makes it less likely.

Only YOU can prevent idiots from commenting!

by Knee high to a duck on Dec 8, 2009 8:20 PM EST up reply actions

Here is a great post from Gould Old Days on this subject from a fanpost when Kane and Toews signed their extensions.

Here’s a 24-man roster for next year: 14 forwards, 8 defensemen and two goalies. I gave Backstrom and Semin 6.3 Million each, B-Mo and Juice each got raises, and Pothier took a pay cut. For anyone who’s still worried about the Caps being able to afford Backstrom and Semin, relax. With Nylander and Theo off the payroll, it should be no problem.

    AUTO-GENERATED CAPGEEK.COM LINES
    FORWARDS
    Alexander Ovechkin ($9.538m) / * Alexander Semin ($6.300m) / * Nicklas Backstrom ($6.300m)
    Mike Knuble ($2.800m) / Chris Clark ($2.633m) / Brooks Laich ($2.067m)
     * Brendan Morrison ($2.000m) / Matt Bradley ($1.000m) / * Eric Fehr ($0.800m)
     * Tomas Fleischmann ($0.800m) / * Boyd Gordon ($0.761m) / * Dave Steckel ($0.725m)
    Mathieu Perreault ($0.717m) / * Quintin Laing ($0.500m)
    DEFENSEMEN
    Mike Green ($5.250m) / Tom Poti ($3.500m)
     * Brian Pothier ($2.000m) / Karl Alzner ($1.675m)
     * Milan Jurcina ($1.500m) / John Erskine ($1.250m)
    John Carlson ($0.846m) / * Jeff Schultz ($0.800m)
    GOALTENDERS
    Michal Neuvirth ($0.822m) / Simeon Varlamov ($0.822m)
    CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS
    ROSTER: 24; PAYROLL: $55.405m; CAP ROOM: $2.245m BONUSES: $0.850m

These numbers make it very possible to keep Semin, even at prices that some of us probably think are too much. Will it happen? Who knows?

by HateOffSeason on Dec 7, 2009 4:04 PM EST reply actions

yeah but Flash will be due for a raise, as will Fehr if he continues to get his chances. It IS possible though.

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by Sombrero Guy on Dec 7, 2009 4:20 PM EST up reply actions

We should perhaps also take into consideration that Varly may not yet be ready for a starting role – we may have to bring in a $1M or so vet backup (i.e. Biron – hopefully not Biron, but in Biron’s price range), which would push that envelope even further, though thankfully not much.

Having said that, I think it’ll be possible, even with raises to Flash/Fehr.

by Vinn on Dec 7, 2009 4:51 PM EST up reply actions

If we get a veteran back up it will almost certainly be at the deadline. I firmly believe that GMGM is going to let the two kids battle it out for the start of the year. Neuvirth deserves a shot, and he has to be resigned after next year so we need to see what he can do in the NHL.

You're the reason that I hate Nova Scotia.

by Rob Parker on Dec 7, 2009 5:08 PM EST up reply actions

And if Varlamov keeps this up I think that is a good move. Normally having two young guys would make me nervous, but if one of them has a good full season plus a solid playoffs under his belt, and the other has a Calder Cup MVP I think the Caps can certainly afford to let them battle it out.

Of all our iniquities ignorance may be the worst

by Killer_Carlson on Dec 7, 2009 10:11 PM EST up reply actions

Plus the caps have the offense for it to work. If we get mediocre goaltending, we’ll still make the playoffs just lower. It’s hard to lose when you score 4 a night.

They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown.

by Bman21212 on Dec 8, 2009 1:24 AM EST up reply actions

Another thing to consider is the possible addition of an impact free agent — sure, we can keep our current team together minus Theo and Nyls, but could we sign all three of Backstrom, Semin, and the piece to bring us a Stanley Cup?

by sixsevenfiftysix on Dec 7, 2009 6:10 PM EST up reply actions

Don’t you mean go for another cup? Seriously, when we are all healthy, I love that if we keep MP up we can really roll 3 really good offensive lines, and a damned effective checking line. There is excellent balance between shooters, skilled playmakers, and grit on all 3 lines. Shore up the D a little, which I think can be done in the above roster moves with Alzner and Carlson, and that is a damned dangerous team.

by HateOffSeason on Dec 7, 2009 6:44 PM EST up reply actions

Cheers

Atta dinnin stick a who!

by Gould Old Days on Dec 8, 2009 1:49 AM EST up reply actions

BMo will likely get a higher raise than that, and that doesn’t include the cap drop, does it?

by hockeyman33 on Dec 8, 2009 5:10 PM EST up reply actions

That’s assuming Jurcina, and Pothier come back, but not Morrisonn? I can’t see us holding 8 defensemen next year, unless one of them is Sloan. I think Pothier and Jurcina are gone if both Alzner and Carlson make the team and ShaMo’s price tag is right. If ShaMo leaves, I think Pothier may stay, but Jurcina is gone. I’ve got no problem with Jurcina as a 7th defenseman, but Erskine already fills that role for us.
You’ve also got to remember The Cap may not stay the same, it may go down.

Brendan Morrison is another interesting case. I’ll be intrigued to see if he sticks around if continues to produce and stay healthy. I can see him staying on for another year, especially if we do well in the playoffs, because Knuble will still be here. For my money, he’s the Caps’ Butch Goring. I think we’ve got the “pieces” for the Cup, it’s just a matter of putting them all together.

Q: Your rival, Sidney Crosby: dislike him?
Ovechkin: "I love him."
Q: You send him cards on his birthday?
Ovechkin: "I send him cards every day."

by Marshall Pirate on Dec 10, 2009 12:33 PM EST up reply actions

Regarding the poll, the answer is always “Yes, if the price is right” when you’re talking about a Top-6 forward.

Specific to Semin, I think the club would like to have him back at around the $6M mark. There just aren’t many guys out there that can do what he does. If he gets an offer over the $6.5M mark, though, I would expect the club lets him walk – or maybe completes a sign and trade.

I do think the odds are at least even that he returns to teh KHL, though.

"You're gonna eat that g**d**n Koho, three!"

by fat_daddyo on Dec 7, 2009 5:29 PM EST reply actions

I do think the odds are at least even that he returns to teh KHL, though.

God I hope not. we lose a talented player for nothing then. That would suck.

They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown.

by Bman21212 on Dec 8, 2009 1:26 AM EST up reply actions

we’re lucky that hasnt happened yet. i guess being russia’s team has payed off, besides the fact we have some of the best russians in the world.

but, we still have a few young russians coming up like Orlov, who is in the KHL now.

by hockeyman33 on Dec 8, 2009 5:14 PM EST up reply actions

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