After Alexander Semin went five games without recording a point earlier
this month, Coach Dale Hunter put the winger on the fourth line in practice.
Semin’s response? One could argue that the pending unrestricted free
agent was the team’s best player in back-to-back wins over Boston and Toronto.
Against the Bruins, Semin scored the game’s first goal and set up Jay
Beagle’s second-period strike in a 4-3 victory Saturday. Twenty-four hours later,
Semin set up Mathieu Perreault’s goal in a 2-0 triumph. More…
Shacks’ Take: Is this really George
McPhee’s plan? Try to squeak into the
playoffs, lose in the first round then lose your studs for no compensation in
free agency? This is an insane way to manage if this is the plan.
In today’s NHL it’s about maximizing the value you receive from your
assets. You sign them and use them or
trade them and use the assets to improve your squad. The only teams that should let stud free
agents walk are ones with a legit chance at winning the Stanley Cup and right
now, Washington isn’t one of those teams. If Washington plans on letting Semin
walk they should have packaged him at the deadline. I guess we’ll see in the off-season if
Washington has a better plan otherwise McPhee should feel some heat from fans
and the owner.
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