NHL Free Agents 2011: Karl Alzner Signs; Washington Capitals over the Cap

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The Washington Capitals finally signed restricted free agent Karl Alzner at the end of last week. Alzner will earn $2.57 million over the next two years.

Despite shedding some salary by trading Eric Fehr to the Winnipeg Jets, the Capitals are currently $890,000 over the cap.

They do have a couple options. One is to place defenseman Tom Poti on Long-Term Injured Reserve, a move that would free up significant space. Or, Poti may be forced to retire if his nagging injury won't heal properly.

However, even if that move puts them under the cap, they won't be able to make any more late roster additions, unless they make a trade.

Another option on the table is making a trade, with Alexander Semin's name continuing to come up in trade rumors.

There have reportedly been many teams interested in Semin, the latest name in the mix is the Detroit Red Wings.

Semin could fit in well on the Wings, especially if placed on a line with fellow Russian sniper Pavel Datsyuk.

However, Semin isn't known for stepping up in the playoffs, which could be a deal-breaker for Detroit.

Plus, the Capitals may not want to part ways with Semin just yet, as he's a significant part of their offense after the first line of Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom.

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