Penguins/NHL
Semin’s agent see’s Pittsburgh as a fit Three NHL teams have expressed interest in Alex Semin and one team out there in need of a top-6 winger that Semin views as a fit is the Pittsburgh Penguins, agent Mark Grandler told Inside Pittsburgh Sports.com on Thursday afternoon.
Grandler when asked about Pittsburgh, said he views Pittsburgh as a “possible” and “good” fit for the talented winger. It’s not clear if the Penguins have actual interest but Semin’s camp has reached out to the Penguins sources confirm, although Gandler would neither confirm nor deny.
The Penguins as I reported last week had discussed Semin internally leading into July 1 and GM Ray Shero has been doing his homework on the former 40-goal scorer. Most members of the organization are believed to be against the possibility of bringing Semin onboard but as I also mentioned last week, Shero would obviously make the final call on whether to go after Semin who last season made $6.7 million.
What could make the Penguins look into Semin more aggressively is that whispers out of the organization last week was that head coach Dan Bylsma is also intrigued about the possibility and feels that Semin’s two-way game is much better than the credit he gets. Semin last season had 21 goals, 54 points and a plus-9 rating. A former 40-goal scorer, Semin’s numbers have been in decline since a career high 40 goal, 84 point season in 2009-2010. However, the Capitals moved to a more defensive team in Bruce Boudreau’s last season and a quarter, and transformed totally to a dump and chase defensive team under Dale Hunter last season.
Semin is seeking a long-term deal but there might not be a multi-year situation out there. Semin might have to go out and prove himself on a one year deal and I get the sense that Gandler, although he has never told me this, see’s Pittsburgh as one of those situations where Semin could change the negative view teams have around him and maximize his potential for a long-term deal next summer. Gandler has been extremely upset at the way Semin has been treated through the media and feels it has led to a negative view with teams. KHL teams offering big money are after Semin but he prefers to stay in the NHL.
Semin has 271 points in 277 games played and is a +92 in his last four seasons, the 5th best mark in the NHL during that span.
