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Blog:
10 April 2008-The Playoffs are just around the corner More…
18 September, Thursday, No. 917
Dinara Kafiskina
Washington Forward Alexander Semin: Everybody Steps up and Plays Like Me and Ovechkin
I ran across Alexander Semin, forward for the Washington Capitals and the Russian National team, in the foyer of the CSKA sports hall. He had come to see the match between the army team and “Atlant” from the Moscow suburbs. Knowing how much Semin hates to give interviews, I still decided to approach him. “Sasha, can we talk a little?” I asked, and he answered “I’m meeting up with my friends right now, but we can talk later”.
Why do hate to talk with journalists so much?
“Because of the crap they all write. When you speak into the camera it is one thing, but when you give an interview for print, often what is written are things that I never said.”
What did you think of the CSKA-Atlant game?
“I’m a hockey player, and I have friends on both teams. I know that we have a new league and those in charge of it want to turn it into another NHL. Several players have already returned, but in general they are older hockey players. You might say that the young ones are drawn to the NHL. And they pay more money in Russia.”
Last year you played in the NHL playoffs for the first time in your career. How was that?
“If I hadn’t received an injury at the start of the year which caused me to miss half the season, then everything was okay. The main thing is that Washington finally made it to the playoffs. It is quite a different game there. Every game is played like it is the final one.”
Vitya Kozlov told me that you and Sasha Ovechkin are like two energizer bunnies on the ice.
“Yeah, everybody in Washington steps up and plays on the level of me and Ovechkin. Of course, it is the coach who sets up the lines and tells us what to do. But in general, the whole team plays the way we do."
I’m sure it’s great to have other guys from Russia on the Washington team?
"There are four of us. Right now we are the most “Russian” team, and I think this surely gives us some additional strength.”
Especially with the appearance of the experienced Sergey Fedorov.
“That’s for sure. Even though Sergey is 38 years old, he really helps the odds. Basically, the owner of our team had a dream to form a “Russian Five”. And now Zhenya Varlamov is coming to us.”
By the way, after last year’s notorious affair when you were late for the national team training camp and you were kicked off the team-- what was your reaction to this?
“I accepted the invitation without the slightest hesitation. After all, I am not going to play for some individual; I am going to play for Russia. I think that every player dreams of being in my shoes. I have now added a gold medal in addition to the bronze. I don’t even want to think about that situation.”
And what memories do you have of the world championship?
“The most interesting game was with the Swedes. Even the Canadians didn’t seem to be such strong contenders. In my opinion, they only played one period in all their games. They put forth a little effort, and then they were finished. We simply had a more technical team. You might say we took it.”
In what way was Russia more powerful than the Canadians?
“Both teams had the desire to win. We simply wanted it more. And we couldn’t have done it without some luck. After all, the Canadians were ahead 4:2, but it turned out that the game went into overtime. We already had made up our minds that we were not going to give this game away. Basically, I was happy with my game. I shot, I hit…”
The World Championship in Quebec is already history. How are you preparing for the upcoming season in the NHL?
“I trained for a month-and-a-half on and off the ice in Krasnoyarsk. My dad is my trainer. He himself played, and he trained his kids. He has trained me since my childhood.”
Do you get homesick in Washington?
“When I very first arrived there, I wanted to return back home. But when the season started, I didn’t think about that anymore.”
How was your summer?
“As usual, it was great. At the beginning of summer Sasha Ovechkin and I went to Turkey, and I went to Moscow a couple of times. But generally I just stayed home in Krasnoyarsk. On September 20 I am flying back to America.”
Do you live by yourself in America? Isn’t that boring?
“No, my parents come to see me. And again I have someone to spend my free time with—my Russian teammates. I get together with the guys and we play poker. But I couldn’t live forever in America. It is just not for me. At least for now.
How is your English coming along?
“I don’t know it perfectly yet, but I can understand it and speak it.”
Is it easy to give interviews?
“No, I basically don’t give them.”
Click on icon above for original story in Russian at sportdaily.ru