Alexander Semin: Teams That Should Gamble on Polarizing Free Agent

Alexander Semin is perhaps the biggest riddle of the 2012 NHL free agency period.

He's relatively young (28), highly productive (54 points last season) and he's got one of the nastiest wristers in the entire NHL.

Unfortunately, he's also a complete head case. He's been known to disappear in the playoffs, and if you believe TSN analysts Marc Crawford and Pierre McGuirre, he's the "ultimate coach killer" and a "complete loser" with "no character" (h/t Katie Carrera, Washington Post).

So yeah, while there's a lot to love, there's also a lot to hate when it comes to the enigmatic Russian. Still, he's one of the most talented offensive players in the game, and with his stock plummeting on the open market, he should come with a fairly palatable price tag.

That's why the following teams should roll the dice and bring in Semin.

Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes desperately need some firepower up front, and Semin would be an excellent addition.

Carolina recently dropped out of the Rick Nash sweepstakes (h/t Darren Dreger, TSN) because the Columbus Blue Jackets were asking too much in return. They wouldn't have that issue with Semin, as they wouldn't have to give up any young players to bring him in, and they may be able to get him for pretty cheap.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh would probably be the best option for Semin, but according to Josh Yohe of the Tribune-Review, his desire for a long-term deal could scare off the Pens.

If Semin does agree to a short-term contract, it's scary to think of the weapons Pittsburgh would have. With Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Semin wreaking havoc on opposing defenses, the Penguins would be primed for another deep postseason run.

Detroit Red Wings

The Red Wings missed out on Ryan Suter and Zach Parise, but Semin would be a solid consolation prize.

Detroit needs another goal scorer with Jiri Hudler gone, and Semin could form an intriguing line with Pavel Datsyuk. He certainly wouldn't be as good of a fit as Parise or Suter, but the Red Wings need to do something.

If they can get Semin to agree to a short-term deal, they should definitely pull the trigger.