I'm pretty sure most of them speak at least functional English, they just don't want to do a lot of interviews so use it as an excuse. While I wouldn't dislike a player for it, I definitely appreciate one that makes the attempt.
I remember when Pavel Bure first came to the Canucks. He spoke almost no English, but still attempted to do an interview. It was a little funny (and awkward), but I had a ton of respect for him making the effort to try. It didn't take him long to learn. Kawasaki's interviews were awesome too! Just make the attempt for crying out loud.