Jakob Chychrun is one of the more eccentric personalities in today’s NHL, so it’s no shock that he’s excited to see the end of the league’s off-ice dress codes.
In July, the NHL and NHLPA ratified a new collective bargaining agreement, set to officially start in 2026-27, which includes the removal of restrictions on what players can and cannot wear to the rink or while travelling. The change is one of the few that the NHL has fast-tracked to begin this season, a move Chychrun told reporters on Thursday that he was looking forward to.
“I think it’s nice,” Chychrun said. “We did that for a year, my last year in Arizona. We were kind of the first team to do it, and it was really nice. I know some guys hate it, some guys love it. I just think if you don’t like it, just continue to wear a suit, and other guys can maybe show a little bit more personality and have fun with it. But I’m a fan.”
To Chychrun, the change wasn’t just a quality-of-life improvement for the players, but also an opportunity for the NHL to grow by showing off players’ personalities. He pointed to the success other sports have had when allowing player expression compared to the NHL’s relative uniformity.
“I think the league’s very old-school,” he said, “which is good in a sense. But I think you see all these other leagues continuing to grow and generate a ton of revenue. And obviously, the NHL has done a good job of building off their own numbers, but we’re still quite behind these other leagues. So maybe it’ll help. I don’t know. But it’s nice to maybe do something out of the box, do something that the league’s never done before, and see how it goes.”
Chychrun was then asked if he was particularly excited about the outfits that specific teammates could come up with now that they have a lot more personal freedom.
“Man, I don’t know,” Chychrun said. “I’ll have to think about that. I know we’ll have some funny stuff. Maybe Sonny Milano. I know Sonny’s going to have some good outfits for us. But, yeah, we’ll see. I’m sure we’ll definitely see some guys that are going a little bold. So it should be fun.”
Milano, who was a full participant in Thursday’s skate after missing almost the entirety of the 2024-25 season due to injury, is known to push fashion boundaries in the league, showcasing his unique style on his way to games.
@dum_players_pc_joueurs Sonny Milano. #nhl #outfit . Un peu Ogie Ogilthore, un peu Gothique. Très cool style. Depuis 10 ans dans la @NHL @Washington Capitals ♬ son original – DUM
Goaltender Logan Thompson, too, looked forward to seeing what his teammates would come up with — and to seeing how Tom Wilson might chirp their fashion choices. Thompson pointed to Duhaime as a potential contender for the team’s best dressed.
“I think Dewey could pull off some swaggy looks,” he said. “I’m excited to see some of the outfits and see what Tom has to say about them, maybe get under his skin a bit.”
Alex Ovechkin also commented Thursday on the lack of a dress code moving forward, sarcastically praising NHL commissioner Gary Bettman for helping get the new rules in place at the very end of the legendary winger’s career.
Chychrun, 27, still has many playing days ahead of him, especially after signing an eight-year, $72 million contract extension with the Capitals last March. The veteran defender recorded a career high 47 points (20g, 27a) in 74 games with the Caps last season and is looking to build on that in his second year with the organization.
“I’m just excited,” Chychrun said. “I just try to be the best version of myself each and every day. I try to be a better person, better teammate, and better player. And, you know, that starts with preparation. I put in a lot of time away from the rink and just try to stay dedicated and motivated to working on little things that are going to continue to give me an edge and allow me to go out and perform.”
Chychrun and other members of the Capitals could get their first chance to showcase both their off-ice style and their on-ice training when Washington opens its preseason against the Boston Bruins on Sunday.
