Alexander Semin: “In a year I’ll be a free agent, have more opportunities”

Alexander Semin: “In a year I’ll be a free agent, have more opportunities” (Photo © Bill Wippert/Getty Images)

Right on Christmas time the Washington Capitals extended Alexander Semin‘s contract for one more year, with sources from TSN claiming that it was worth around six million dollars. Semin’s contract will now run out in June 2011. This was the main topic of an interview that Alexander gave to Slava Malamud of Sport Express.

RussianHockeyFans.com offers you a translation.

Semin: “For now I’m satisfied with the conditions of my contract. My agent and I considered other variants but we decided that 1 year is an optimal variant.”

Why?
Semin: “Just because. I’m going to play in Washington for this last year and then think things over. I will have more opportunities as I will be a free agent.”

Did Washington try to offer you a longer contract?
Semin: “Yes, of course, there were different variants. The idea to sign a one year deal came to me and my agent.

So, now you can play the season till the end focusing on hockey only. Are you glad that such details are now history?
Semin: “Well, my task is to hit the ice and play. And let my agent deal with the money issues.”

How can you explain your team’s slump?
Semin: “That’s hockey. No team can be on the top all season long. I think it’s better having some problems now than later. We will cope with them and later in the season everything will be alright.”

And what about you? Are you satisfied with your game?
Semin: “Definitely not. I haven’t had any luck. There are moments in which you are 100% sure that the puck will go in, but then it doesn’t. But the luck will get back to me and everything will be okay.”

The Capitals traded their captain Chris Clark for Jason Chimera of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Did this influence the team?
Semin: “It’s difficult to say. Chimera is a good player. He can get the puck out of the zone quickly and effectively. And about the captain… We have enough leaders in our team. Clark of course could cheer us up but there aren’t irreplaceable players. For example, Morrison and Knuble are true professionals, they know their business.”

Do you think that you and Alexander Ovechkin will play in the same line at the upcoming Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games?
Semin: “That’s up to Vyacheslav Bykov. We have to wait not for long, only one month and half. I’m really glad that Sergei Fedorov and Viktor Kozlov were invited too. All the former and current Washington Russian players will play at the Olympics. That’s great!”