Due to confusion about Semin's obligations to the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, which requires all Russian men to serve two years, Semin was not allowed to return to the Capitals when NHL resumed the following season in 2005–06. Russian Armed Forces allow conscripted soldiers who are hockey players to play for professional teams in Russia during their period of service, but they are not allowed to play for teams based in other countries. However, other young Russian players, such as Nikolay Zherdev and Alexander Ovechkin, were allowed to return to their NHL clubs following the lockout, circumventing any additional military duty they had to serve in Russia.