Semenov, who says he was surprised the Panthers asked him to return after he left their AHL affiliate in Rochester, N.Y., and returned to his native country to play, has landed a spot in the team's third pairing alongside Steve Montador.

He'll make his 13th consecutive start tonight at Carolina, having posted four points so far, the same number he had in 27 games combined with Edmonton and Florida last season. His plus-6 rating is markedly better than last season (minus-4).

"I feel more comfortable out there," Semenov said of his latest NHL stint. "I'm trying to be more physical out there and create some chances and offense, too."

Said defenseman Mike Van Ryn: "He's playing tough and keeping guys honest that way. ... He's a much better player this year than he was last year."

Semenov played 20 games for a pro team in Russia before returning to South Florida, and the chance to play on a regular basis and contribute seems to have helped his confidence. The Panthers would still like to see the 6-foot-6 Semenov be more of a threat offensively, and his season-high three shots Saturday against Atlanta could be a start.

Semenov, who will turn 22 three days after the regular season ends, has played in 131 NHL games in three-plus seasons, 28 with the Panthers since arriving in a trade in November 2005. The Panthers must choose whether to extend Semenov, a restricted free agent, a qualifying offer by July 1, so his performance now is key.

With the team seemingly set on six defensemen for next season -- Jay Bouwmeester, Van Ryn, Bryan Allen, Ruslan Salei, Branislav Mezei and recently acquired prospect Noah Welch -- Semenov, Montador and prospect Martin Lojek are candidates for the other two spots.