Capitals Re-Sign Alexander Semin

Sasha celebrates his 1st of 3 hat tricks this season.

The Washington Capitals announced this morning that they have re-signed right winger Alexander Semin to a one-year contract extension through the end of the 2011-2012 season.  The deal is expected to earn the Russian about 6.7 million dollars next season. According to Tarik El-Bashir of the Washington Post, the winger was offered a multi-year extension, but wanted to stick with only a one-year deal.  Semin, 26, is currently playing in his sixth NHL season, all with the Capitals.  He has 18 goals and 17 assists this season in 39 games, but, like the rest of his teammates, has struggled mightily in the consistency department this year after scoring 40 goals during last year's campaign.  The currently injured winger is expected to be ready to return to active duty when the Capitals host the Canadiens on Tuesday. With news of this extension, the Capitals currently have just $45.8 million committed to 17 players for next season, well under the ceiling of $56.8 million, according to Capgeek.

As magic as Sasha's hands are, I feel as through this might be a tad irresponsible by Caps management.  Semin is undisciplined and injury prone, and I think that this money might have been spent a little better on a big defenseman.  But, we will see, right now the Caps' problems are not on defense, they are on offense.  Who woulda thunk it?

In other Caps news, Braden Holtby, Jay Beagle, and Mathieu Perreault were all assigned to Hershey of the AHL this morning to play in the minors during the All-Star break.  It is not known what the future of any of these players will be after the break is over, with both Semin and Michal Neuvirth expected to return from injuries.

That's all for now.  More if it becomes available.

Information from www.washingtoncaps.com was used in this post.