One day after being a healthy scratch for the first time since his rookie season in 2003-04, Caps forward Alex Semin was one of nine players on the ice for a very optional skate at Kettler Iceplex. The others: Both goalies, Tomas Vokoun and Michal Neuvirth, defensemen John Erskine, Jeff Schultz, Dmitry Orlov and John Carlson and forwards Mathieu Perreault and Cody Eakin.
Didn’t speak with Semin myself. But he was one of the last players on the ice after about an hour and eventually migrated over to sign autographs for some fans. Will he play tomorrow? Caps coach Bruce Boudreau wouldn’t go that far.
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“I haven’t decided yet on any lineup situations,” Boudreau said.
Boudreau said he spoke with Semin on Tuesday morning – though he didn’t disclose what their conversation was about. Semin has two goals and two assists in his last 13 games – not enough production from a guy with a $6.7 million salary-cap hit who has topped 28 goals four times and 70 points three times. It doesn’t help that Semin is a penalty machine right now. He’s taken at least one minor penalty in each of his last seven games. Semin has 14 minors total. What should we expect when he returns?
“I guess the response will be when we see him return for a game,” Boudreau said.
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