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Report: Washington Capitals G Semyon Varlamov should return from IR next week

Semyon Varlamov

Washington Capitals goaltender Semyon Varlamov makes a glove save against the Montreal Canadiens during the first period of Game 6 of a first round NHL playoff hockey game, Monday, April 26, 2010, in Montreal. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Paul Chiasson)

AP

While the Washington Capitals top goalie job certainly isn’t set in stone, it seems like the smart money is on Semyon Varlamov as the “1a” in the rotation. At least to start the season.

His stranglehold over the top job is in some danger because the Russian youngster is dealing with injury problems, but Puck Daddy’s Dmitry Chesnokov reports that Varlamov should be good to go next week.

#Caps goalie Semyon Varlamov is expected to be back and playing next week.

It’s an interesting goalie situation in Washington, as Neuvirth recently signed a two-year, $2.3 million extension this off-season while Varlamov enters the final year of his entry-level deal with plenty of monetary incentive to have a knock-out 2010-11 season. Varlamov and electric winger Alex Semin are the only “major” players in D.C. whose contract situations aren’t settled, so the team’s success (or lack thereof) should make an enormous impact on both players’ bargaining power.

Both need to be healthy, though, something that neither have been able to count on in their young careers.