Current NHL players who still can't speak English

[Patrik Barkov]

Puljujärvi is just an odd case. Did he or someone close to him never think of the fact that some basic english skills would be necessary if you're putting it all out there in hockey and it's worth the effort. He's learning now but the language barrier was a big reason he wasn't sent down earlier or couldn't go to wjc since Edmonton wanted him to learn the culture and the language around the team for a while.

 

[Roughneck]

I'm generally convinced all these Russians know very good English but pretend they don't to limit the interviews they have to do.

It's what I'd do.

 

[ChiefWiggum]

I was listening to some post-game comments from some non-North American players. Like Filip Forsberg, Artturi Lehkonen.

And you would not be able to tell that they weren't from the North American continent.

Who are some current players that still pull the "No English" mantra

Even Zaitsev has at least a conversation level of English. If it was 25 years ago, I'm not so sure his English would be as good.

These players are all from Scandanavia where education is of very high quality. It seems all Swedish players can speak English fluently by the time they reach the World Junior level

 

[kunekune]

These players are all from Scandanavia where education is of very high quality. It seems all Swedish players can speak English fluently by the time they reach the World Junior level

English is an "easy" language for swedes because the structures of the languages are some what similar. Even tho the education is high in nordic countries people don't learn the language at school. There is just not enough time to learn it properly in school.

Internet/tv/music/games are the main piece in learning the language. Nordic countries don't dub their tv-shows like the rest of the Europe so that's the main reason why Finns/Swedes are so much better in english than russians or other European coutries that have a language spoken by tens of millions of people.

 

[The Panther]

Current NHL commentators who still can't speak English:

Don Cherry

 

[MasterDecoy]

I don't think emelin can. He just speaks the language that rustles hf's jimmies

 

[SashaSemin28]

Alexander Semin would still be the winner here. Did he ever speak English in a interview in his 10 year career???

He did and his English was much better than Ovechkin's. Some people can speak the language but don't feel confident in it outside of speaking in private.

 

[wej20]

Malkins English is still terrible

Nope.

 

[Brainiac]

As a Habs fan, I've always been wondering what a person-to-person interaction between Michel Therrien and Alexei Emelin could look like.

 

[dss97]

I don't think Nikitin spoke any English when he was in the NHL.

 

[Ruok]

It's not like he didn't have time for both. He wasn't training 24/7 when he was a small kid. Everyone says he has great work ethic, so I think he's just dense.

I dislike that "priority" argument, because no teacher or parent is going to say it's ok to stop going to school/learning at a young age because someone wants to become a hollywood actor or a pro hockey player. That's why you do both when you are young. You can maybe ease on the school at the age of 15-16 if it looks like you are going to pan out, but Puljujärvi sounds like he's skipped all his English lessons since he was 9.

is English in Finland anything like French in Canada? I ask because I know some kids that took French since they were in about grade 7, but still can't speak a lick of French. It depends on the effort level/ what teacher you get.

 

[NoQuitInNewMexico]

Would there be any young French Canadians (maybe from small towns) who went through the Q and stayed completely monolingual? I guess that path to the NHL includes some time in the AHL for most guys, which is where you'd start learning for sure.

 

[Hogan86]

Soshnikov didn't speak any English when he came over before last season. But it's impressive now. It's still very broken but he's come along way in a year and a half.

 

[Laveuglette]

I was listening to some post-game comments from some non-North American players. Like Filip Forsberg, Artturi Lehkonen.

And you would not be able to tell that they weren't from the North American continent.

Who are some current players that still pull the "No English" mantra

Even Zaitsev has at least a conversation level of English. If it was 25 years ago, I'm not so sure his English would be as good.

You do realize that English is not the official language everywhere in North America and that millions of born and raised North Americans don't speak English, right?

Sorry, I'm just pissed of hearing North America = English everywhere. Only a minority of people in Mexico and Québec speak English fluently. They are still North Americans.

 

[Brainiac]

You do realize that English is not the official language everywhere in North America and that millions of born and raised North Americans don't speak English, right?

Sorry, I'm just pissed of hearing North America = English everywhere. Only a minority of people in Mexico and Québec speak English fluently. They are still North Americans.

But then again, as a North American, you're exposed to english constantly and it's easy to pick up the language if you want/need to. That's the distinction here.

Because, seriously, I'd give a break to all the russians who have a hard time with english. I mean, at some point you have to pick it up, but it's still vastly different language. I for one know that I would have a hard time learning russian if I had to go to Russia for work.

 

[TorstenFrings]

He did and his English was much better than Ovechkin's. Some people can speak the language but don't feel confident in it outside of speaking in private.

I must always happen on Ovechkin's very best interviews, because he usually impresses me. He has an accent and says "you know" a lot, but that's it.

The second point is really important. Semin did okay in a sit-down interview, where he could prepare a bit better, but doesn't like microphones stuck in his face after a game. It's not terribly hard to understand.

 

[Belial]

Emelin has to be up there!

 

[Wendy Clear]

You do realize that English is not the official language everywhere in North America and that millions of born and raised North Americans don't speak English, right?

Sorry, I'm just pissed of hearing North America = English everywhere. Only a minority of people in Mexico and Québec speak English fluently. They are still North Americans.

Chill bro. You quoted a guy's double negative so he's probably Mehican anyway.

 

[cotillion]

Patrick Kane

 

[talkinaway]

Would there be any young French Canadians (maybe from small towns) who went through the Q and stayed completely monolingual? I guess that path to the NHL includes some time in the AHL for most guys, which is where you'd start learning for sure.

Not so much about language, per se, but more about accents. Here is Patrice Bergeron circa 2003:



Here he is today:



For those who aren't Pierre Mcguire, he did grow up playing in the Q. Honestly, I don't remember how his English was in spontaneous interviews in 2003, but I really doubt he ever used a translator. And he's dropped almost all the accent...on the Quebecois accent scale, he's closer to "Well trained French-Canadian broadcaster on US NHL Network" than he is to, say, Celine Dion. You still get an occasional "dis" and "dee" and "dere" instead of "this" and "the" and "there", but, personally, I have to listen hard for it.

He definitely didn't stay monolingual, but my guess (and I could be wrong) is that English was his "school language" as a kid, and that he ramped up his English, either naturally via immersion or with lessons, once he made the NHL. He also had the benefit of time, playing a year in the AHL after making the NHL, thanks to Uncle Gary and the 2004-5 lockout.

 

[DustyMartellaughs]

English is a ridiculously stupid language that contradicts its own rules all the time. Through, though, cough, and enough all sound different. Kudos to anyone who has to learn our language.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

English is a ridiculously stupid language that contradicts its own rules all the time. Through, though, cough, and enough all sound different. Kudos to anyone who has to learn our language.

It's not that bad, English is easy when you know French. We have quite a few words in common and the grammar is simplified compared to French. The pronunciation is hard, that's true. Even after 10 years of learning English, my French accent won't go.

I bet you read that with a French accent

 

[Patrik Barkov]

is English in Finland anything like French in Canada? I ask because I know some kids that took French since they were in about grade 7, but still can't speak a lick of French. It depends on the effort level/ what teacher you get.

Kids in Finland have to study english from age 9 to 16. Most study it for a few years after that. You also hear it constantly on tv etc.