Washington Capitals star Jakob Chychrun makes absolutely no attempt to hide his unique approach toward diet, nutrition, and fitness. In fact, he flaunts it. Whether it’s eating nutrient-rich raw livers and hearts to buying straight from Amish farmers, Chychrun leaves no stone unturned. “We try to get all of our (food) from the highest quality sources we can find, and that’s really the most important,” Chychrun told The Hockey News in 2024.“If you look at the Amish, they eat seasonally. Whatever they can grow in the summer, they eat. Obviously, you can’t grow the same things in the winter, so you adapt and you eat different foods,” he added.

It’s safe to say the 26-year-old goes above and beyond the average NHL player to stay fighting fit for his unique style of mixing defense with offense on the ice. So while discussing Chychrun during the NHL Unscripted Podcast, host Jason Demers asked teammate Dylan Strome about the NHL defenseman’s most recent lifestyle experiments.

When the former NHL player jokingly asked if steak and beef tallow, a kettlebell circuit, or cartwheels were among Chychrun’s latest foray into the unconventional, he probably wasn’t ready for Strome’s answer. “He’s a new thing every day,” Strome confessed about Jakob Chychrun. “I heard yesterday that he’s no light bulbs. He’s doing candlelight in his house now,” added the hockey center, catching Demers off guard.

Strome also provided some more details about why his teammate chose beeswax candles. “Beeswax candles is what I heard is, is great for you. So now, now we’re, we’re all talking about beeswax candles and no light bulbs,” joked the 26-year-old’s fellow defenseman. While Strome did not detail the exact reason behind the latest change in Chychrun’s lifestyle, the latter has explained before how he is always looking for adjustments to be as healthy as he can be.

After all, there are several studies that discuss the negative effects of prolonged exposure to artificial light. Notable among them is the paper titled “Health Effects of Disrupted Circadian Rhythms by Artificial Light at Night”. In the paper, researchers Lourdes K. Davis, Jacob R. Bumgarner, and Laura K. Fonken highlight how exposure to electric light at night disrupts the circadian system, leading to health complications, and how regulating the artificial light can lead to better health.

Chychrun’s commitment to his new lifestyle, thus, can be considered laudable. However, experimental home decor is far from the biggest thing going on with the 26-year-old right now.

Jakob Chychrun just landed a massive contract extension

The Washington Capitals defenseman has stuck to a massive eight-year contract extension while optimizing his health and lifestyle. After posting stellar stats in his very first season with the Capitals, the now third-highest-scoring defenseman in the season has secured a $72 million contract that will see him play for the Capitals till 2033.

“He is a perfect fit with our culture and vision for the future,” GM Chris Patrick said after announcing the deal. If you’re still wondering how much the Capitals wanted to keep Jakob Chychrun around, here’s how his new contract stacks up against the most valuable capital, Alex Ovechkin. After signing the new contract, Chychrun is now the second-most expensive player on the roster.

At 39, Ovechkin’s retirement looms far closer than Chychrun’s, who’ll turn 27 in April. That means Chychurn will become the highest-paid Capitals player after Ovechkin’s retirement. However, it’s a price Washington is willing to pay because, despite his sometimes bizarre experiments, the team sees a lot of potential in the 27-year-old defenseman.