Posts Tagged ‘Alexander Semin’

A Fresh Independent Verdict: More Heft on the Back End Needed

22, Jul 2010

A brand new Dan Rosen file for NHL.com examines seven NHL general managers worth watching in the weeks and months ahead, and it caught my attention most particularly for its diagnosis of the Capitals’ ongoing vulnerabilities. I swear I haven’t exchanged private Tweets or email with Rosen, who wrote this: “The Capitals were clearly a [...]

Zherdev Returns

8, Jul 2010

The Flyers have signed UFA forwad Nikolai Zherdev

Chicago: Case Study in Poor Cap Management

7, Jul 2010

The NHL Awards have passed us by, the Stanley Cup has been hoisted by the Chicago Blackhawks and free agency is in full swing. Despite all the time that has passed, Washington Capitals fans are still left yearning from the far too early first round exit from this year’s playoffs. They are left thinking to themselves that could have been us, we do have a lot of the same qualities as the Blackhawks and yet we didn’t go all the way. After what the Hawks have had to do in the last few weeks, do Caps fans really wish they were in the same boat as Chicago though?

Draft Tweets

26, Jun 2010

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Say Hello to Semin 2.0

26, Jun 2010

Dynamic skill level. Exceptional hands. Controls the puck as if he’s got it on a string. Natural sniper. Elite one-on-one talent. Can manufacture his own offense. Great acceleration and finishing ability. Looks to score each shift. Oh, and he’s Russian. Sound like anybody you know? Meet Evgeny Kuznetsov, your newest highly skilled Russian Washington Capital, [...]

NHL Buzz: Sunday, June 20th

20, Jun 2010

There are a lot of rumors going around and some news to discuss too, so I will get right down to it.

 

Rumors

Alex Semin may not be on the block, but the Capitals ARE listening to offers.

Don’t be fooled by the Predators, they may use their extra cap for something BIG.

Rumor has it that Shea Weber will be the Predators next captain.

According to James Wisniewski’s agent, they are not in talks with the Ducks about re-signing, expect Wishniewski’s rights to be dealt before July 1st.

The Boston Bruins are still shopping goaltender Tim Thomas in hopes that they can dump his salary.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are not expected to re-sign forward Alexei Ponikarovski.

Brian Burke and the Maple Leafs could make a run at American D Paul Martin on July 1st if he is available.

According to Bruins insider Jimmy Murphy the Bruins are working on at least three trades at this time, “nothing except Rask/2nd overall r untouchable.”

 

Devils hiring of John MacLean

Personally I think this is a good fit for the Devils style of hockey as he knows the system and some of the players from Lowell but is this really the right choice? My answer is no, I was hoping the Devils would go in a more offensive direction and hire someone like Guy Carbonneau but I guess that is really out of the question.

 

Blues Clues

As you know the Montreal Canadiens traded goaltender Jaroslav Halak to the Blues in exchange for prospects Lars Eller and Ian Schultz. Eller is a very good prospect and Ian Schultz is pretty good too but is this really enough for a starting goalie in the prime of his career? I will let you decide that.

 

Arnott re-acquired by the Devils

Yesterday the Devils shocked the hockey world with a trade that has not been discussed or talked about by any insiders. This deal sent forward Jason Arnott to New Jersey while forward Matt Halischuk and a 2nd round pick in 2011 are heading to Nashville. Personally I do not really like this deal. Arnott is still a good player but his best days are behind him.

This concludes today’s edition of NHL Buzz, enjoy everybody!

For the latest news and rumors check out NHL Buzz at NHLTALK202.com and follow me on twitter @ToddNHL

 

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

OFB Point-Counterpoint: Trade a Semin or a Green?

24, May 2010

Remember the ‘Point-Counterpoint‘ spoof-skits of SNL’s heyday? We’re trying our own this summer, but more respectfully, with our undergraduate interns, Alex and Andrew. Actually, Alex is no longer an undergrad. (Congrats, graduate!) Anyway, to get a hot topic kicked off this offseason, we thought we’d raise the spectre of a big trade: Do the Caps [...]

Worlds-Weary, and Grumpy

21, May 2010

Russia beat Canada at the Worlds in semifinal play yesterday. Ain’t that just swell? Don’t you just feel all warm and fuzzy for our Russians competing over there (wherever they are)?
I only know about the result because I accidentally stumbled upon a story image of it late last night on line; when you’re a hockey [...]

Steven Hindle: Capitals Sign Nicklas Backstrom & Marcus Johansson (contract details)

17, May 2010

Nicklas Backstrom Agrees to 10 Year Deal

According to Tarik El-Bashir from the CapsInsider the breakdown of Backstrom’s 10 year deal will go as follows;

Year 1: $6 million
Year 2: $6 million
Year 3: $6 million
Year 4: $6 million
Year 5: $6.5 million
Year 6: $6.5 million
Year 7: $7 million
Year 8: $7.5 million
Year 9: $7.5 million
Year 10: $8 million

Total: $67 million
Average…

Steven Hindle: Locked & Loaded, Caps & Backstrom Agree on 10 year Pact

16, May 2010

Backstrom To Be a “Cap For Life”

Nicklas Backstrom is about to join the NHL’s Rich & Famous as the Washington Capitals prepare to announce his re-signing.

Word on the street is that Nicky will be rewarded with a 10 year pact in the range of 69-70 million dollars. These numbers, according to Crash the Crease (http://tinyurl.com/28wmm3f), sounds pretty accurate to me.

If anything, locking…

Alexander Semin or Mike Green: A Trade That Must Happen, Like or Not

15, May 2010

After Montreal’s stunning upset of the Washington Capitals, many fans are looking for someone to blame. While no one specifically can be pointed out, it was evident that two players, critical to the Capitals, failed to show up.

Everyone knows who they are, and so do the two of them. Alexander Semin and Mike Green had stunning regular seasons. Semin scored 40 goals in the regular season. Green tallied 76 total points, beating all other defensemen and getting him a nomination for the Norris Trophy for the second year in a row.

In the playoffs, Green recorded three assists, and Semin got two assists. That’s it. On 44 shots, Alexander Semin got completely dominated by Montreal’s miracle worker, Jaroslav Halak.

As far as Green, a defensemen isn’t asked to do that much offensivley, except when you’re Mike Green. Green was a pivotal part in Washington’s top ranked powerplay, which went 1 for 33 against Montreal. When he flops, the power-play flops, and the team flops.

Green’s poor defense in the series and crucial turnovers, including a game seven turnover which led to the game winning goal, killed the Capitals. However, it is Semin who should go.

Why Semin? Quite frankly, he can be replaced and Green can’t. The Capitals are already deep enough in goal scorers that someone can step up. He probably won’t score 40+ goals, but he’ll do enough, because the Capitals didn’t need Semin to score all 40 of those goals.

Green is much tougher to be replaced. There are few defensemen in the league that have the offensive talent that Green has, and those teams aren’t giving them up. There are plenty of other forwards as good as Semin. Replacing Semin is not replacing Ovechkin or Crosby, or Mike Green for that matter.

And the last reason is he is valuable. Boston ranked dead last in goals per game and goals for. They were the only team not able to score more than 200 goals, tallying 196. Needless to say, they could use a playmaker on offense besides Satan or Savard, and can offer up a good defensive defensman in return.

Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com

Hockey For Haiti, Crazy For Caps Loot

12, May 2010

Craving gear from your favorite Capitals, but just can’t bring yourself to buy anything in the aftermath of their first-round loss? Well the National Hockey League Players’ Association has a terrific opportunity for you to expand your sweater collection with unique, game-worn offerings while contributing to a terrific cause.

Halak-ing into the Semi’s

29, Apr 2010

NHLHS Montreal Canadiens Correspondent Christopher Nardi breaks down the overall thoughts from the Habs first round series which they wrapped up last night against the Washington Capitals.

When Montreal began the series with Washington, it was obvious that the number one seed in the league just didn’t have what it takes to beat [...]

A Plea for Piss-’n-Vinegar Hockey

29, Apr 2010

Turns out, R.J. Umberger was right.
Really right.
This is what Umberger said after his Columbus Bluejackets lost a close game at home to the Caps just a couple of weeks ago, right before the start of the NHL postseason:
“They float around in their zone, looking for breakaways and odd-man rushes.
“A good defensive team is going [...]

One Final Chapter Remains

27, Apr 2010

In general, having lived through each and every Capitals’ postseason series, I’m not a big fan of surging to a 3-1 series lead and injecting needless drama into them by making unheralded opposition netminders look like Johnny Bower or Glen Hall.
Here we go again.
This trauma we suddenly confront, it’s all my fault. Last Thursday here [...]

A Change of Fortune and Fate in the Crease

20, Apr 2010

Well, who has the goaltender controversy now?
And, how’s that Caps’ defense look right about now?
For a team that was rather thoroughly maligned for its defensive play upon arriving in Montreal on Sunday, the Capitals in game 3 gave a doozie of a debunking of that slur. Did you notice how seldom Habs’ forwards were able [...]

So Much for the Notion of a Short Series

16, Apr 2010

Thursday was Alexander Ovechkin’s first NHL playoff game as captain of the Washington Capitals. It was one he would rather forget.
The Capitals in game one of their first-round series against Montreal fired 47 shots on Habs’ netminder Jaroslav Halak. Ovechkin didn’t have a single one of them. Not one, through nearly four periods of hockey.
Ovechkin [...]

New and Old Media Together on Local Air

12, Apr 2010

Just a few of you were tuning in to the Masters this weekend while some local hockey media convened in the posh studios of Federal News Radio in Northwest Washington, to chat up the Caps’ remarkable season on Jonathon Warner’s ‘Saturday Night Caps.’  (Our own Mike Rucki coined that program’s name!) We had great fun, [...]

It’s an Honor Roll Weekend, and We’ve Extraordinary Honorees Wearing Our Crest

10, Apr 2010

Hockey, the ultimate team sport, has become conspicuously individualized this weekend in Washington. And that’s fine. We’re still in the silly season that’s prelude to the postseason, when games have meager meaning for your 120-point Washington Capitals, and it’s a big deal for Alexander Ovechkin to score 50 goals, again, for Nicklas Backstrom to earn [...]


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