Alexander Semin entered the free agent market after failing to sign an extension with the Washington Capitals at the last minute, but until Zach Parise signed with the Minnesota Wild, nobody seemed to care.

It’s no secret that the Detroit Red Wings wanted to sign Parise. They even flew out to an airstrip by his farm in Wisconsin to negotiate.

Of course, it wasn’t to be. Now, the Wings must turn their attention on others in the free-agent market. When it comes to strong forwards who are suddenly available, Semin is one of the better options on the table.

Detroit has now turned its attention to the Russian winger, long considered the team’s “Plan B” option in case it wasn’t able to get Parise. Now, he should become a top priority because he fits in with Detroit better than any other forward on the market.

He has experience, with 11 seasons as a professional under his belt, and although his production has dropped in the last couple years, he is still capable of scoring big goals—just ask the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins.

However, he has had his problems being a good team player, as a TSN panel was quick to point out on Sunday, when Semin officially became a free agent.

Still, his talent cannot be ignored. All he needs is good leadership and those discipline problems will be taken care of.

The experienced core of the Detroit team won’t let a bad apple ruin the whole team’s season (from The Fourth Period):

The logic of a Motown landing boils down to a simple thought, "Pavel Datsyuk can fix Alex." With Thomas Holmstrom and Jiri Hudler not returning, it's a reasonable gamble for Detroit GM Ken Holland to consider.

Semin won’t be without his options. If Detroit doesn’t take a chance on him, another team will, whether it’s in the NHL or in the KHL.