Semin or No Semin?

The NHL off-season has been dominated by the Zach Parise/Ryan Suter bombshell that changed the landscape of Minnesota Wild hockey and the ongoing trade rumors surrounding Rick Nash.  Throw in the Roberto Luongo trade talks and the Bobby Ryan trade rumors, and there is no shortage of things to talk about in the NHL.  Forgotten in all of the hoopla is one Alexander Semin, who is still without a team (in the NHL or KHL).  So, why hasn't he committed to a team this late in the free-agency period?  Besides the fact that it's only nine days old, there is the ever present question of character, as in will he give 100% every night.  It's no secret that character has been his biggest question mark, and given that until this off-season, the Capitals had given him only one year deals in recent years, but when he is right, he is capable of changing the game based on his talent alone.

This is where I put on my general manager's hat and put together teams that Semin could and likely should sign with in the coming days.  So, who should take a good look at Semin?

• CAROLINA HURRICANES: The financial commitment to Jordan Staal could be a factor in whether or not Semin lands here, but he would at worst, add a second line presence and be an offensive weapon with either Eric Staal or Jeff Skinner.  The downside?  Whether Semin's presence negatively affects Skinner.
• COLORADO AVALANCHE: With the additions Vancouver and Minnesota made, not to mention the young talent lining up in Edmonton, Colorado could very well be eating their dust with only Calgary possibly breaking their fall.  PA Parenteau is a nice signing, but Semin could very well be what Colorado needs, and having Milan Hejduk and Matt Duchene there should be a benefit for a player who needs some direction.
• DETROIT RED WINGS: Having lost out on the Parise and Suter sweepstakes, Detroit desperately needs to make a splash.  They need a defenseman more, but the coaching is there if Semin wants it, and the leadership (be it Henrik Zetterberg or Pavel Datsyuk or whomever) should help in unlocking his potential.
• PITTSBURGH PENGUINS: It's not like the Penguins need another offensive talent, but with a strong chemistry in the locker room and the chance to stick it to the rival Capitals, the Penguins could take a chance on Semin, and he wouldn't even have to be a top line player.
• VANCOUVER CANUCKS: Not having a healthy Ryan Kesler or Daniel Sedin hurt the Canucks last year in the playoffs, and Semin could fill in the offensive blanks should injuries hit again.  Obviously, what happens to Roberto Luongo will have an effect on whether or not the Canucks are in the Semin race.
• WASHINGTON CAPITALS: Yes, the Capitals haven't offered him a multi-year deal (which is what I presume he is looking for), but he had his most complete season last year, despite lower offensive numbers and a constant battle with Dale Hunter.  The big draw for Semin?  Playing alongside Alexander Ovechkin, who he has said in reports that he likes having as a teammate.

The Alexander Semin watch is on, and whoever signs him will have a great talent, but getting him to use that talent well is going to be the biggest challenge for whoever signs him.