Those familiar with the Washington Capitals know Alexander Semin for many things, one of which is his reluctance to speak English during his rare public appearances. With that said, Mike Vogel's interview with Semin in English for the Caps' official website is almost history in the making.
Vogel asked Semin very simple questions, as he "is still struggling a good deal with his second language" as Vogel points out on his personal blog.
On being the longest-tenured Cap:
"I'm getting old. I'd like to stay here 10 more years. I like to play here."
On former teammate Matt Bradley's comments earlier this summer in which he said Semin "just doesn't care" (which is also covered in Dmitry Chesnokov's interview here):
"Different people have different...[inaudible, though probably something in Russian] opinions."
On Washington in general and the team's Stanley Cup chances:
"I like playing here. Washington is my second home. We have good fans, good teams. I hope we win the Stanley Cup this year."
While this interview may seem rudimentary, the simple fact that Semin stepped out of his comfort zone to conduct it is something to respect.