A Contract Year Like No Other?
by Stephen Pepper on Nov 19, 2010 11:00 AM EST
Email
Print
We all know that Alexander Semin is set to become a UFA after this season. That is, barring any new deal signed during the season, as discussed yesterday on the Lunchbox. And conventional wisdom says that the potential payout promises prolific production (how's that for alliteration?).
So far, however, the ups-and-downs of Sasha's past production haven't correlated with expiring contract terms. The best season of his NHL career to this point (2008-09), at least in terms of points per games played (1.27), was not a contract year, and his worst season (2007-08) points per game-wise (0.67) began as a contract year -- he re-signed a two year extension on October 27, 2007. Of course, those prior pacts were all pre-UFA status, and this season is the first "true" contract year for #28.
Regardless of whether that status is providing a singular motive for his start to the 2010-11 campaign, Semin is putting together quite an impressive display, extending his point-scoring streak to nine games, after Wednesday night's 5-on-3 assist and empty netter, leading the club in goals, and five tallies behind league-leader Steven Stamkos. (After Stammer's hat trick last night. Your move, Sasha.)
But this level of consistency is not new for the star sniper. It's something we've seen from "the other Alex" -- well, consistently -- since the beginning of the 2008-09 season. (Incidentally, the only Caps team featuring Sergei Fedorov for the entire regular season.)
In the 154 games in which he's played since October of 2008, Semin has gone pointless in two or more games in a row just eight times, and only two of those droughts reached three games in a row. In his 140 games played prior to the 2008-09 slate and post-lockout, Semin failed to register a point in consecutive games on twice as many occasions, four of those being dry spells of four games or longer. The valleys are now shallow, and much less frequently encountered.
Further, the percentage of games played overall in which Sasha failed to earn a point has dramatically decreased during the last two plus seasons. And, on the flip side, his percentage of multi-point games has improved since the start of the 2008-09 season. To put a finer point on it (and address the issue of UFA contract year motivation), in his 62 games played since December 26, 2009, the date of his last contact extension and arguably the date on which be began "playing for" a UFA deal, Semin's been held without a point 18 times and tallied multiple points 20 times.
Take a look at the percentages for the three time periods mentioned above:
Here's further breakdown of those 2008-09 to date percentages by season:
A caveat to all of the above is that we're talking about games in which #28 has played, and he's missed at least seven games during the months of October and November in each of the last three seasons. But so far, so good on the health front this season.
So what do we see? His 2008-09 campaign stands out as his most consistent, and last season featured the greatest frequency of multi-point outbursts, and was most impressive from a total production perspective. Perhaps this year could be a combination of the two.
As such a crucial component of the Caps' uniquely explosive offense, we're all hunting for reasons to believe that Semin's reliability in the regular season will translate to a resurgent performance in the playoffs. One that is closer to the production in his first 14 playoff tilts (8 / 8 / 16) than in his last 14 games (0 / 8 / 8). But like so much else with this team, it's going to be a long wait yet before we know whether the improved Alexander Semin will bring the team to quench at last its thirst for ultimate victory or, instead, the oasis reveals itself as another mirage.
84 comments
|
1 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
And now for a word from our sponsor Alex Semin’s agent.
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
I actually think Ovechkin cares a little more than he let’s on there. Maybe even enough to back off his game enough to make Semin look that much better in this contract year? Just a thought.
He’s letting Sasha have the empty netters if it’s a choice between the two of them. And very possibly passing more when he should be shooting.
Which might be one of the reasons Coach split them up again.
You perhaps knew me better as "Your Nation's Capital." Same great commentary, now with 100% more transparency!
He does care more. Ovie in tuvanhillbilly’s recently translated article:
But once again you played well with Semin in the first period. You guys have been playing really well together lately.
“Yeah, really good. We have a fantastic mutual understanding, and the coach knows that.”
Fess up, you just want to help your best friend earn a new contract in Washington.
“(Smiles) And that too, of course. I would be very happy if Semin stays here. The fans really love him, and he himself is used to the team and the city. Well, it’s all in his hands. And the GM. Basically, we will just hope.”
by vtcapsfan99 on Nov 19, 2010 11:33 AM EST up reply actions
The fans really love him
I guess Ovechkin’s never visited The Rink.
The guy is Peter Schumpmaker. Lord knows what a schump is, but you can bet your bippy his ancestors made them. What he's doing is far worse than crafting fine schumps.
by Steckel Me Elmo on Nov 19, 2010 11:37 AM EST up reply actions
The rink is a very small subset of the caps fan population. There are a lot of fans at the games in Semin t-shirts and jerseys, cheering for him. Semin said in a Russian interview that fans leave stuff at his door after games. Cards, stuffed animals, cookies, etc. He said he read the cards (another clue that he knows English). So he definitely does have his fans. We also can’t forget the mysterious Semin lobby that always shows up to vote for him here.
by vtcapsfan99 on Nov 19, 2010 11:44 AM EST up reply actions
I’ve certainly come around, and am now very much a Semin fan, but I’m also a kool-aid drinker, so yeah…..take that for what it’s worth. ;)
As long as you’re not the woman at the games sitting just above the caps bench that wears the white Sexy Semin jersey, it’s all good:)
by vtcapsfan99 on Nov 19, 2010 11:54 AM EST up reply actions
I always see the front of that woman whenever I watch a home game on TV because she sits on the end of the aisle by the tunnel for the caps. Luckily seeing the Sexy Semin part is restricted to sitting behind her at games but whenever I see her on TV I can’t help but picture her jersey. I’ve wondered if Semin has ever interacted with his biggest fan as she leans over the divider when the players exit. I figure Semin pretending to not know English has it advantages.
by vtcapsfan99 on Nov 19, 2010 12:09 PM EST up reply actions
Oh God. That is a real thing then.
I hoped thought it was a joke.
by CaptainAwesome on Nov 19, 2010 12:16 PM EST up reply actions
Sadly, I am not that funny:)
Next game I’m at, I’ll watch her to see if she interacts with Semin when he walks by in the tunnel. Also, maybe I should get a little closer and see if Semin has actually signed her Sexy 28 jersey.
by vtcapsfan99 on Nov 19, 2010 12:23 PM EST up reply actions
Jersey Foul
Is it really “Sexy28” as her jersey name? If so, get a picture for Puck Daddy’s Jersey Fouls….some more for the phone booth :( we seem to lead in that category (Jersey Fouls) it seems.
She has a 28 Semin Jersey, personalized with Sexy instead of Semin.
i feel like I’ve already seen a Jersey Foul picture of her somewhere.
it’s posts like this that make me wish there was an easily searchable “Jersey Fouls” photo archive.
Pledge Drive 2010-2011: SO KIDS CAN!! Help build a playground
Here she is on the Sports Bog. She’s pictured in Red, although I usually see her wearing her white Sexy Semin jersey.
Speaking of Jersey Fouls, seems like it’s been awhile since a Caps fan has been featured on PD.
This sig is brought to you by... Frungy, The Sport of Kings!
A guy showed up in 109 last week wearing a red 87. The name plate said CRYBABY.
There's no 'i' in "team". But there's a 'nap' in "champion".
Jeez, he couldn’t even take the time to make it CRYSBY? What is the world coming to?
"Because the game is not just about fighting no more. " D.J. King
Saw Another Semin Jersey Foul...
…after the Buffalo game, a guy had a 28 jersey with “JIZ” as the name.
I guess this is the best the guy could do, as the NHL.com website won’t let you order it with the word ending in “ZZ”….
Washington Capitals 2009-10 = Quebec Nordiques 1994-95
--- D'ohboy
by MikeL-Pivonka on Nov 19, 2010 1:33 PM EST up reply actions
he’s had that for a while. I saw him last season a number of time. I think he might have been featured on Jersey Fouls.
Pledge Drive 2010-2011: SO KIDS CAN!! Help build a playground
"How much weight does Ovechkin carry? I would say a lot," Gandler said. "He’s not the G.M., but I think that if Ted Leonsis would put (G.M. George) McPhee on one hand and Ovechkin on the other hand and start shaking up and down, I have a feeling he would drop McPhee like a hot potato. And I say that with full respect to George."
That’s just ridiculous bombast from Semin’s agent.
Japers' Rink: Hockey blogging from the most powerful city in the world
by J.P. on Nov 19, 2010 12:10 PM EST up reply actions 6 recs
I would be infuriated if it were true—it verges dangerously on Clinton Portis/Danny Snyder territory, and since that worked out so well. . .
If wishes were horses, we'd all be eating steak.
by Hang a Laingtern on Your Problems on Nov 19, 2010 12:22 PM EST up reply actions
Hahahaha. I can’t believe he actually said that. Whether or not Ted would rather lose GMGM or Ovie is a debatable, and I think he’d keep Ovie too, but damn… you’re not supposed to say that kind of stuff…..
by Bushwood Bushwhacker on Nov 19, 2010 12:23 PM EST up reply actions
Well, I’m not sure what Gandler is saying here. Is he saying that Ted would take Ovi’s advice on personnel over GMGM’s or just that Ted would keep Ovi over GMGM if he had to keep just one.
I’m sure Ted appreciates how Ovi feels about Sasha and would consider the impact of Sasha’s departure on Ovi’s performance. However, if Semin keeps up this pace, resigning him will depend less upon wanting to keep him and more about whether they can afford Sasha. And that depends mostly upon what Sasha and Gandler feel they are worth and what they want. If he wants (and deserves) $6M+ per season long term, then there is no way the Caps can keep him.
To put it another way:
If Sasha put Ovi on one hand and $75M over 10 years on his other hand and started shaking up and down, I have a feeling he would drop Ovi like a hot potato. No disrespect.
Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing...
by dcsportsfan1 on Nov 19, 2010 1:31 PM EST up reply actions
“And I say that with full respect”
I love how that line almost always comes after the most disrespectful statements, haha.
Think twice before you speak, and then you may be able to say something more insulting than if you spoke right out at once.
by zephyr on Nov 19, 2010 12:38 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
it’s like the southern “Bless her heart, but……….”
Pledge Drive 2010-2011: SO KIDS CAN!! Help build a playground
Wow, that is independently both a stupid statement and a stupid thing to say!
Atta dinnin stick a who!
by Gould Old Days on Nov 19, 2010 4:44 PM EST up reply actions
All I am going to say here is that Semin is more consistent and less of an enigma than anyone thinks. Other than his personality quirk of only wanting to be interviewed in Russian (when he clearly speaks and understands english no problem), he plays great hockey nearly all the time. He certainly has been the far more consistent and better Alex on the team this year.
If Semin were playing like Ovi is this year, we would be on his case a hell of a lot more than we have been with Ovi, even if 8’s #s are still very good. This bias is reflected when we call the nick-semin-laich line our #2 line. It is silly.
"Have you ever played?" "Yes, I was a goalie"
Well of course Green like Semin, the forwards always stick together.
Proud member of the Popsicle Division of the Cupcake Conference.
by Bman21212 on Nov 19, 2010 12:06 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
If Semin were playing like Ovi is this year, we would be on his case a hell of a lot more than we have been with Ovi
That’s because Ovechkin has a consistent track record of being awesome while Semin has a track record of playing whenever he feels it’s interesting.
Think twice before you speak, and then you may be able to say something more insulting than if you spoke right out at once.
by zephyr on Nov 19, 2010 12:40 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
One of the differences between the current hot scoring start and other such starts is that Sasha’s complete game is, well, more complete than ever before, and consistently so. It seems he’s gotten the message on some other aspects of his game that could be better. It seems he’s realized that winning it all will take more than his talent which he likes to indulge with hard work. He may even be finding out he has some abilities and talents he did not realize were there. Yes, I know, let’s see it for the next 6 months. I think we will, barring injury (bar it, please!).
Ok, off to work on Sasha’s force field.
Beat me to it. Points are great, but I’m seeing a more consistent focus and “want to” from Semin than I’m accustomed to seeing. Better defense, fighting more for the puck, less drifting. Also seems a lot happier out on the ice!
The ice will show everything.
Sometimes I think you guys are reading the email chains that go around between your handy dandy Rink writers… ;) This was exactly what I kept saying.
I know that around here “I know what I see” doesn’t generally fly as an argument but sometimes things are more than just a bunch of numbers on a page. Semin’s point production right now is amazing; he had a similar run of production 2 years ago. I’m sure I’m not the only one who sees a difference in his overall game now as opposed to 2 years ago, though, and that’s something that can’t be measured.
If anyone needs me, I'll be at Kettler.
Becca: “Everything is so great I don’t know how to contain myself!! :-) :-)”
Pepper: A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, and this is indeed the best of times and yet the worst of times…
DMG: Based up the last quartile of Corsi Rel numbers and the standard deviation of their Fenwick curve, I’ll temper the enthusiasm but only by a notch or two.
JP: Harumph.
Patron saint of quality footwear.
by fat_daddyo on Nov 19, 2010 3:16 PM EST up reply actions 7 recs
We can see he’s doing a better job forechecking and he does seem to be fighting and winning more puck battles in the corners (does anything measure that?).
Things that are measured: he is tied for 1st in takeaways at 24 with Nicky and Dats. If the pace continues, that’s 104 for the season compared to 61 last season (this pace for last season’s 73 games would have been 92 takeaways).
The pace for giveaways is lower and if it continues would result in 2 fewer over the course of the season in 9 more games, assuming he plays all 82.
He’s even hitting a little more: he had 30 last season, but is on pace for 39 now (35 with this season’s pace and last season’s number of games). I’ll never expect him to become a big hitter, but his overall physicality has increased.
Given that the injury bug has bit him in early to mid-November last 2 seasons, getting through Christmas unscathed will seem like he made it out of Mordor.
I’ve always thought the organization would be happier if Semin just went to play in Russia rather than:
a). pay him for his stats and cross their fingers for a given game or playoff series.
b). turn him loose and have fans watch him on SportsCenter Top Plays for another organization every other night
I think the worst they could do is wait til after the season to make a decision. If he can’t be signed to another short-term deal very soon then trade him well before the deadline for something meaty. If they wait til after the season he will test the free agent market, will go, and the Caps will get nothing.
imo
Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships. - Michael Jordan
It seems like you think Semin won’t be valuable to the Caps in the playoffs, so they need to trade him before that to get their value for him. I don’t think think that you can trade him before the end of the season considering what he’ll potentially give you during the playoffs, if his current style of play holds up. If Semin reverts back to his inconsistent self, I can see a case for trading him, but then his value also drops. If Semin remain consistent at his current level of play, I don’t see why you’d want to trade him away if you were making a big push for the cup this year and Ovie is in some kind of funk.
I see how you could say that I don’t think he would be useful in the playoffs. I do think he could be extremely valuable in the playoffs. He was previously. If I knew he would be healthy and playing in top form at that time I would say of course definitely wait and accept that the Caps could get nothing for him.
But I think if the right player/deal becomes available at any point they should be open to it and take that risk. The problem is who wants to trade – for instance – a solid 2C who can put up points for a winger even if the winger puts up better numbers on the season. It’d probably have to be a multiplayer deal, and then we’d want it sooner again for gelling purposes. This is just an example situation, it or any other may likely never present themselves and then the Caps could do far far worse than having Semin in the playoff arsenal.
Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships. - Michael Jordan
Many many people are in the majority in their opinions that Semin cannot be re-signed:
1) George cannot lock him up long term to keep the cap hit lower when you have Ovie and Baxter on long term deals, unless there are more of those deals to go around than I thought.
2) He will not take a short term deal here, when some jackass (even a well-thought-of jackass, like Lou Lamoriello) will pay him a ton of money somewhere.
However, there are some major factors that favor his staying here: his close relationship with 2 of the greatest players in the game, the fact that GMGM drafted him, and his love of the city. You dont get a chance to say you drafted a player of Sasha’s skill too often. I think George wants to keep him on the farm, and obviously Ovie wants to keep him too.
No way he is traded before the deadline; there is nothing as good coming back for him unless you’re talking a stud defenseman, and that aint happening. I maintain he will test the market, and DC will beg him to come back for $7 to 7.5 Million, 3 to 4 years. Someone will offer him almost $8 Million for 4-5 years, I guarantee it. But he’s not going to Long Island or Edmonton or Dallas – I just dont see it.
I don’t think he resigns long-term. I think he’s going to ask for a two or three year deal, max.
Joe Thornton’s a franchise player, and while he’s never been a beast in the playoffs, he’s consistently put up huge numbers during the regular season. And yet he’s never signed more than a three-year contract. Semin has never been signed for more than a couple of years. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Caps give him two years, 14-15 million, and I really wouldn’t be surprised if he takes a one-year deal to see if the CBA gets extended.
I know people will be quick to shoot down $7+, but I am fully onboard with a 2 year $14-15 million. This is the window. Is a cup worth the extra $1-2 per year (3-4 total)? Absolutely. You’re not mortgaging the future of the club with a 6-year, $40 million contract. You’re saying “Right now, Sasha minor is a key part of us winning a Stanley Cup.”
"Inglewood Jack! Inglewood Jack!" - Coach Jules
by Alz Well That Ends Well on Nov 19, 2010 2:36 PM EST up reply actions
2 points. First, I don’t see how Semin justifies asking for more than Backstrom makes, regardless of term. Second, even on a 2 year deal at 7.5 we’ll have major problems because we have to re-sign Green, Carlson, and Alzner in that time.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
I don’t know that Semin can justify it, but that doesn’t mean he won’t ask for it. If the options are
a) Semin for 2 years @ $7MM
b) save $7MM
are there other legit 1st/2nd line scorers available who can bring the points and demand the respect from other teams that Semin does? Plus, Backstrom took a sweetheart deal to stay here. I love him for it, but I don’t doubt he could have gotten more money elsewhere. Which is his real value?
I don’t have Flash on this machine, so I can’t use CapGeek’s calculator, but even with Green getting $6+, and the wonder twins getting 3-4 each, I think it’s ok for two years to get a cup. Our goalies aren’t making bank now, and we can clearly develop or get the 3rd & 4th liners we need from Hershey or scrappers like Hendricks who want to come and play for a contender. After the two years though, I say cut bait and Semin either drops the numbers or goes elsewhere.
The unasked question is “What if we haven’t won the cup by then?” I don’t have a great answer to that, other than “I guess Semin wasn’t The Piece.”
"Inglewood Jack! Inglewood Jack!" - Coach Jules
by Alz Well That Ends Well on Nov 19, 2010 3:06 PM EST up reply actions
7 million is just too much. Brad Richards is hitting the market at the same time, and if Semin is going for top dollar we may as well offer that to Richards. He plays a more important position so all things being equal getting another stud C would be better. He has health issues, but also has a Conn Smythe.
I don’t mind the idea of Semin testing the market. I honestly think it’ll bring his price down. I just don’t see him making much of a raise on the open market. There aren’t going to be a ton of bidders, so unless he has a huge playoffs I think more teams will be scared off. If he does have a huge playoffs then we should win a Cup.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
With regards to the first point, that’s an easy answer. Semin won’t make as much as Backstrom. Backstrom’s deal is for 10 years and pays him six million until he turns 26, at which point his salary goes up half a million per year. And he got a two million signing bonus. Say Semin gets a signing bonus (1 mil or so), 6.5 one year, and 7.0 the next; he’ll have a cap hit of 7.25 million and be making the same amount that Nick Backstrom will make at the same age.
With regards to extending Alzner, Carlson, and Green:
1) Alzner’s cap hit will probably go down from its present level, though he’ll likely get a raise, given that so much of his cap hit is tied up in bonuses. I would be surprised if his cap hit was above 1.6 million next year.
2) Carlson’s not going to make that much either. I’d be shocked – SHOCKED – to see him get more than Erik Johnson did this offseason. Two years, 5.2 million for Johnson makes me think Carlson gets two years, five mil. That’s roughly 1.7 million above his current pay scale.
3) Green will probably get 1.6+ in a raise for a cap hit around 6.7/6.8. That means the Caps would need 3.3 million, in addition to Semin’s 1+ million, to maintain their same roster as they have this year.
A) That’s cap space we already have.
B) By that time, you can replace Steckel, Chimera, or others with cheaper players.
C) The cap will go up some.
Good math, we’ll see what happens with Carlson; a lot will depend on his numbers and Mike Green is going to keep those much more manageable than Green’s were at the same time. EJ isn’t a bad comparison, but salaries are inflating so I could see Carlson getting more than what EJ got.
I agree on Alzner, he’s not going to see a rapid increase, I’m just mentioning him as an important guy we need to consider.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
You heard it here first, the Caps will sign Semin to a long term contract extension prior to the trade deadline. By long term I mean five or more years and the cap hit will be around 7 million. The Caps will be able to afford that because the cap ceiling will continually go up. As for Semin, there is no replacing a talent like him, he is a legitimate 40 goal scorer and there is simply not that many 40 goal scorers around. For the foreseeable future the Caps will not be in position to draft a player who will become a 40 goal scorer and to acquire such a player through a trade you have to give up too much. Some people thing we don’t need Semin, that we have enough offense without him. That is plain foolish, how many Cups did we win when we had Peter Bondra. You need more than one legitimate scorer, without Semin we would be reduced to Ovechkin. Backstrom is a good set up man but he is not a real goal scorer like Ovie or Stamkos. The truth of the matter is that if we don’t sign Semin the chances of the Caps winning the Cup decrease significantly.
Proud to be a Caps fan. Its a Great Day for Hockey.
So assuming they sign Semin for $7M/AAV, and also assume the cap goes up 5% next year, who don’t the Caps resign to fit Semin and his $7M under the cap for the next year?
Per capgeek.com, the Caps currently have 14 guys signed next year for $37M cap hit. Add Semin and his $7, and that’s $44M and 15 players. If the Cap goes up to $63M, then you have just under $20M to sign a minimum of 7 guys. Here’s who’s not signed next year
Knubs, Laich, Flash, Brads, B. Gordon, Hendricks, Alzner, Erskine, Varly
Not to mention Matty P, A. Gordon, McNeill, etc from Hershey.
Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing...
by dcsportsfan1 on Nov 19, 2010 4:13 PM EST up reply actions
Here’s a guess:
FORWARDS
Alexander Ovechkin ($9.538m) / Nicklas Backstrom ($6.700m) / Eric Fehr ($2.200m)
Brooks Laich ($3.500m) / 2C ($3.750m) / Alexander Semin ($7.000m)
Jason Chimera ($1.875m) / Marcus Johansson ($0.900m) / Matt Bradley ($1.000m)
Matt Hendricks ($0.750m) / Dave Steckel ($1.100m) / Boyd Gordon ($1.050m)
D.J. King ($0.637m) / Jay Beagle ($0.512m)
DEFENSEMEN
Jeff Schultz ($2.750m) / Mike Green ($5.250m)
Tom Poti ($2.875m) / John Carlson ($0.845m)
Karl Alzner ($1.975m) / 6D ($1.700m)
Tyler Sloan ($0.700m)
GOALTENDERS
Michal Neuvirth ($1.150m) /Semyon Varlamov ($1.200m)
SALARY CAP: $59,400,000; CAP PAYROLL: $58,959,295; BONUSES: $0
CAP SPACE (23-man roster): $440,705
There’s some wiggle room in here, of course.
Among other quibbles, my problem with this is that after having their hands tied in the Nylander debacle, there is no way the Caps leave less than $500,000 against the cap at the beginning of a year.
"It's always good to have vikings."
But you’ll notice I was using this year’s cap. If the cap doesn’t go up, you could easily get $500k back against the cap by signing a 6D who costs 1.2 mil instead of 1.7. You could get 750k by trading for a 2C that cost around 3 million rather than 3.75. And 1.975 mil for Karl Alzner is a huge jump over where I think his cap hit will fall, which is more like $1.5.
You think we get a legitimate 2C at that price? You have your eye on anyone in particular?
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
No free agents, though I could foresee signing Arnott for around that much. But my idea is to trade for someone whose contract is expiring in 2012. And here’s the four I have my eye on:
Tuomo Ruutu (3.8 mil/yr)
R.J. Umberger (3.75 mil/yr)
Jarret Stoll (3.7 mil)
Jochen Hecht (3.525 mil)
Because they expire in 2012, if they don’t work, it’s easy enough to walk away. We don’t have to worry too much about giving big raises to RFAs this year. And there may even some cheaper options – we could try to pry Rich Peverley away from Atlanta (on pace for 50 points this year).
I don’t see Stoll being available but I’d like him.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
I don’t think anyone on the Kings is going to be available this year, at least if they continue in this manner. Hecht, honestly, might be the easiest target, especially if Buffalo continues to underwhelm and if he doesn’t manage to get off his present slide.
And Hecht is an underwhelming solution. I hate Umberger but I guess he’s an upgrade. I would love to have T. Ruutu but I don’t see any way CAR gives him to us. Stephen Weiss is still the guy I have my eyes on. Of course, that means there’s no way we get him.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
Jason Arnott is done as an effective player, in my opinion.
"Essentially, all models are wrong, but some are useful" George E.P. Box
by Knee high to a duck on Nov 19, 2010 6:41 PM EST up reply actions
Green and Carlson both will require, total, 3.3 million worth of cap space in raises (see up here). You get that by nixing the 2C and replacing him with Johansson (who will be on the last year of his ELC) and a cheaper 3C at 1.5-2 million (which saves 1.3 on the cap). Fehr and Chimera also have expiring deals at that time; you get a 3rd line winger who’s a significantly cheaper than Chimera (who could potentially be someone on an ELC) and use the remainder to pay Fehr (cap hit 3 mil). That leaves about 1.6 mil left. This could be obtained by doing one of the following:
a) the cap going up (it would be unreasonable to think it wouldn’t go up another million at least by July 2012);
b) getting rid of D.J. King and carrying 22 players on the roster.
5@7 would be a dagger to our cap structure.
He scored 40 once, and teased us with 40 goal potential far more often. It looks like he’ll get another 40 goals this year, but we can’t really paint him as a perennial 40 goal guy. He’s also reaching the age when goal scorers start to decline, so by the end of your hypothetical extension he’d probably not be giving us the same elite scoring you are banking on.
Lockout talk makes me want to go out and choke an old lady - Elliotte Friedman
and you guys think you tear your hair out in frustration now!
Pledge Drive 2010-2011: SO KIDS CAN!! Help build a playground
Got any first round picks left to trade for him?
Just trying to capture the spirit of the thing...
by dcsportsfan1 on Nov 19, 2010 4:56 PM EST up reply actions
Semin has been incredibly consistent so far this season, but I don’t think using points is a good way to measure his consistency. Particularly since 2008 when the Caps have become a dominant offense, Semin could easily float through a game and still pick up a point, particularly on the PP. Maybe looking at ES points would be better, but there is still the same problem that he can easily (and has many times before) broken one great play in a game full of crappy ones.
Semin may have been this consistent in his scoring in previous years, but there is no way he has been this consistent in his discipline, defensive play, and work along the boards. I hope it holds up, but the numbers in this post do little to convince me that he has turned some corner.
Release the Mackan!
by Killer_Carlson on Nov 19, 2010 6:05 PM EST reply actions 2 recs
I think senior Pepper should repost his entry again an a couple of months
We’ll see how things look and how the comments flow then
Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships. - Michael Jordan
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Japers' Rink
Related FanShots on Japers' Rink
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
FanShots
Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.
Recent FanShots
The Vault
In Association With
Latest Puck Daddy - NHL from Yahoo! Sports
- Why the Devils and the Kings are evidence the Capitals shouldn’t trade Alex Ovechkin
- Eulogy: Remembering the 2011-12 New York Rangers
- Stanley Cup Final: 5 keys for New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings
- Friday’s Three Stars: Devils head to Final; Brodeur, Kovalchuk the difference in Game 6
- Devils eliminate Rangers in Game 6, ending fear of the past, setting course for the future
