Colorado Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov shook off his legal issues in a Russian-language interview with NHL.com, which the Denver Post translated on Tuesday. The most interesting bit came when he discussed the support he’s received from teammates:
“Of course, it helps me,” Varlamov said. “But again, believe me: your personal life stays your personal life, and sport is sport. And personal life shouldn’t interfere with sport. That’s why all my focus is currently on hockey, on the game, on communicating with the team.”
The 25-year-old netminder has played in one game since those issues cropped up on Oct. 30, helping the Avs win against the Dallas Stars on Nov. 1.
His situation has caused a stir even outside of his own dressing room, as Fedor Tyutin made comments he later regretted in defense of his friend. Whether Varlamov likes it or not, he’ll probably have to answer questions about his legal issues for at least the near future.
If you happen to speak Russian, you might find the original interview intriguing: