Don't forget we are from different countries, and everything is different. Even if we like it here in America, it is still a different country. If you have a guy from the same country who can speak the same language around you, it is more comfortable.
Many European guys go to the N.H.L. at a young age, even without knowing English. But they quickly adapt to new conditions, another game, a new country. They are also young, receptive, can move mountains.