Capitals Sign Alexander Semin to One-Year Extension

[ScottRasner]

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have signed right wing Alexander Semin to a one-year contract extension, vice president and general manager George McPhee announced this evening.

Semin, 25, is in his fifth season in the NHL, all with the Capitals. He has 32 points (14 goals, 17 assists) in 29 games this season, tied for third on the team in goals and fourth in points. In 283 career games the 6’2”, 208-pound native of Krasnoyarsk, Russia, has recorded 248 points (122 goals, 126 assists) and already ranks 26th in Capitals history in points.

Semin, who was named to the 2010 Russian Olympic team on Thursday, ranks ninth among active players 25-and-younger in goals and 12th among that group in points.

A first-round choice of the Capitals in the 2002 NHL Draft, 13th overall, Semin has 226 points in 231 games during the last four seasons, among the top 20 point-per-game scorers in the NHL in that time (0.98). He is tied for 14th in goals in that time (112) and is one of only 20 players league-wide to score more than 25 goals in each of the last three seasons. He is on pace to hit that mark again this year.

Semin established a career high with 79 points in 62 games last season, finishing fourth in the NHL in points per game (1.274) behind only Washington’s Alex Ovechkin and Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby. His career high of 38 goals came in 2006-07, ranking 13th in the league and third among players 23 years old any younger.

This season Semin has five two-goal games and 12 multiple-point games, both second on the team. He is second on the team with nine goals at Verizon Center.

[Killah_punk]

One year $6 million.

[FightingIsGood]

Originally Posted by Killah_punk

One year $6 million.

Overpaid...

[thepolishkid88]

Originally Posted by FightingIsGood

Overpaid...

I think they could have saved some money. I really dont see Semin as an All-Star. I see him as a great scorer and a great one way player just not 2 ways. Don't get me wrong I wouldn't complain if I had him....

[Godly_goon]

Originally Posted by FightingIsGood

Overpaid...

disagree.. perfect amount a point per game player and its a one year contract good signing on both sides

[dtdc2k3]

**** sign backstrom already!!

[BigBadWolf1171]

im glad we got him signed, now if his weak azz can stay healthy..

[Isles4life]

I think it's a good short-term signing. The Caps have a very strong team assembled and could/should be among the top teams in the league for the next few years. Why not take it one year at a time with Semin if you can while keeping him int he fold? He wouldn't be nearly as productive on another team without the same support in my opinion, but having guys like Ovechkin and Backstrom to play with allows him to become a very dangerous and effective player for Washington. This gives them a little more time to decide if they want to lock up Semin to a longer-term deal down the road or let him go when his market value becomes unaffordable and way more than he's worth.

[CapsFan99]

Good deal, especially for a PPG player who could have got more on the open market.

[caps87]

Not a bad signing, as long as Semin can stay healthy.

[I_am_Belak_2]

Marc Staal fears Alexander Semin.

[leafs_fan77]

Good signing. You guys got your tough guy locked up for another year.

[Cat Smasher]

Originally Posted by FightingIsGood

Overpaid...

Not at all.

LeBrun said he was surprised the Capitals only signed Semin to a one-year deal, considering how important he is to the team's offence.

But for Semin, the deal was enticing because "it bridges him to unrestricted free-agency in July 2011," said LeBrun.

"I like it," said Hockey Night analyst Glenn Healy. "This guy is a star, and if he did go to salary arbitration, the Washington Capitals would have got killed."

Over the past two years, Semin has averaged an impressive 1.1 points per game, and is 14th overall in goal scoring over the last four years.

"You pay dearly for goal-scoring," said Healy. "All but one of those 14 players is making north of 6.4 million dollars [US]."

"This was a steal for the Washington Capitals and a good deal for the player who signed it," said Healy.

[grits207]

Not a bad contract at all, at least its not one of those crazy long term deals.