Losing Alexander Semin to free agency in the off-season could be huge for the Washington Capitals. For seven seasons, Semin has been an offensive threat for the Caps, scoring nearly 200 goals throughout his time in Washington. Semin also comes with a lot of baggage though, including what many people call a poor work ethic, and was also described as being a cancer to the locker room. But will this loss hurt the teams chances next season? Or are the Capitals better off without him?
Making matters worse for the Capitals, they had to replace their coach this Summer as well. Taking over behind the bench is Adam Oates, former assistant with the New Jersey Devils and Tampa Bay Lightning. While Oates has no head coaching experience at the professional level, his resume is strong. Last season he helped the Devils reach the Stanley Cup Finals, and amassed 1,420 points during his own 19 season career.
While the losses have been tough, the Capitals also received plenty of gains this summer. The biggest impact will come from former Dallas Stars center Mike Ribeiro. After six seasons in Dallas, Ribeiro was ready for a change of scenery and will have the opportunity to make a huge impact with the Capitals. Ribeiro’s production alone this season should offset what was lost with Semin, plus his stronger work ethic and leadership abilities leave the Caps in a better position come playoff time.
Another Washington pickup who will benefit from a change of scenery this season is Wojtek Wolski. After bouncing around four different teams from 2009 to last season, Wolski is finally healthy and ready to prove he can still compete. Playing alongside some of the Capitals skilled playmakers, Wolski should have no problem fitting in and regaining his old form. Health is key, but if he can maintain that, Wolski will be a heck of a bargain.
The departure of Alexander Semin also allows Marcus Johansson to continue his growth and advancement. Johansson more than doubled his assist output from 2010-11 to 2011-12, and climbed from 27 to 46 points during the same time frame. With a bigger role on the team, Johansson could turn into a star playmaker much his countryman Nicklas Backstrom.
While the Capitals have seen a big loss with the departure of Semin, their gains far outweigh the losses. The addition of Ribeiro alone should be enough to offset the Semin loss. Additional contributions by Wolski, plus the depth that he will create for the Capitals, will help them to achieve more than they have in the past. Under a new coach, this team is going to grow as a whole. It’s been said for a while now, but if you look at this roster, you can’t help but to feel like the pieces to the puzzle are finally starting to come together in Washington.
