Alexander Semin: Why Teams Should Avoid Signing Russian Sniper

Alexander Semin can dazzle us with all of the crazy tricks and antics that he wants, but he'll have a hard time convincing NHL teams to spend big on him.

After the signings of Ryan Suter and Zach Parise, one of the hottest names on the free-agency market has quickly become Alexander Semin. 

Semin has had a very up-and-down career with the Washington Capitals, but it's been down more than usual as of late. 

He's far from the player that we saw light up the netting alongside Alexander Ovechkin between the years of 2008 and 2010 when he came back from a mandatory, two-year military stint in Russia. After notching a combined 163 points in the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons, his numbers have dropped significantly as he's only had 108 points in the last two years combined.

The Russian has also seen his goal-scoring production take a hit. He shocked us with a 40-goal campaign just two years ago, but only finished with 21 this season. 

He's made himself known as one of the most maddening and wacky players in the NHL, and reeks of risk nearly as much as reward. From crazy on-ice antics involving throwing the puck on net to climbing on Ovechkin's back to retrieve a soccer ball from a roof, he never fails to leave us face-palming.

Even his former teammates have noted his lackluster attitude. Former Washington Capital Matt Bradley told Team 1200, an Ottawa radio station, back in September of 2011 that Semin "just doesn't care."

Via Lindsay Applebaum of The Washington Post (h/t ProHockeyTalk):

When you're getting paid more than nearly every one of your teammates and you bring a lackadaisical approach to the game, you're far from a leader. In fact, Semin undermined leadership itself when he took a big payday and didn't use it to curve his competitive spirit. 

Semin's attitude toward the game hurts the team much more than just in the locker room. He averages .96 PIMs per game for his career. 

One penalty every other contest is far from worth it for a player who won't score in more than a quarter of the team's games.

Semin was all but certainly expected to get more money by returning to Russia to play in the KHL, but after the way this chaotic free agency started with mega-deals to Suter and Parise, some teams may get desperate to add another piece and in turn overpay for Semin.

He's obviously had his share of successes in the NHL and could have much more, but I don't see any scenario where Semin's contract and approach to the game will be a good call for any contending team.