The Alexander Semin experiment in Montreal seems to be failing.

To be exact, it is $1.1 million, and the player is Alexander Semin. Recently his teammate and captain Max Pacioretty stood up for him when talking to Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette.

It’s great that Pacioretty feels close to the Russian contingent. It’s excellent that he plays word games with Semin. He’s being a leader and he’s trying his best to get the underproducing Semin out of his funk. As he puts it, “I’ve said it before – he’s a professional for sure. I genuinely believe he’s a big part of this group and the guys feel confident that hopefully he can be here for a long time and work out of this and be a big part of this team, because he’s got skill to do it,” and “I’m there for him and we’re all here for him. He’s not a guy that pouts or does the wrong things”.

What’s the Russian translation for “The press box is not an extended part of the bench”?

For all this positive support, being benched by coach Michel Therrien is a clear indication that he feels Semin needs to correct his ways in order to be an integral part of his team.

Missing one-third of the Canadiens’ games does not indicate how important he is. Having one goal and four points in that span certainly does not help his cause. Generating about one and a half shots per game is rather weak for a guy who, as Pacioretty indicated, has skill.

But Pacioretty is being a leader and trying to be the good cop to Therrien’s bad cop. He certainly was not the only person to feel that the Semin signing was going to bear fruit for the Canadiens.

SB Nation’s Habs Eyes on the Prize summarized the popular opinions earlier in the summer at the time of the signing.

Neil Greenberg and Arpon Basu felt that Semin was a steal, focusing on his shot production. Eric Engels added that it was a low risk venture, while J-F Chaumont indicated it was a reasonable risk. Olivier Bouchard thought that Semin’s defensive play would counteract any dip on with his point production.

What do you think they would say now? Not worth the money I would think. A wasted opportunity by both the player and the club because they could have given his spot to a younger player who was hungry to perform.

Was his performance a contributing reason why they are at the top of the Eastern Conference? No, they did not need him.

This has turned out to be a lose (Semin) -almost lose (Montreal) result. The stigma attached to Semin will not change.

When the Carolina Hurricanes bought him out, their President Don Waddell said, “In simple terms, we paid him $14 million dollars to go away.” (From the website Russian Machine Never Breaks.)

For all the comments about his diminished skills and how he decided to play, the more damaging statements were about his individuality. “And then he didn’t buy into the culture that our coach (Bill Peters) was trying to get in the locker room. When you go to practice and you have 22 guys doing things the way the coach wants and one who doesn’t, it usually doesn’t end well.”

Now what you might want to do is keep your eyes on some of his possible replacements.

If they trade Semin, they will most likely get a later round draft pick and not a serviceable player in return. The same would be true if he is cut.

However, Scott Matla of Habs Eyes on the Prize lists five players you should keep your eyes on.

Christian Thomas and Bud Holloway need to clear waivers, so they are unlikely to be considered. The other three – Charles Hudon, Sven Andrighetto and Michael McCarron – do not.

Andrighetto has been called up, Hudon is small but talented, and McCarron is a six-foot-six-inch prospect that has been near the top in the AHL this year.

My bet for this season would be with McCarron because of his size, but Hudon would be my long-term solution.

One or more of these players could end up being the next $6 million star.

(Editor's note: Bud Holloway was recalled by the Canadiens on Sunday.)