Johnny Boychuk bought a new house in Edmonton this summer, but the New York Islanders defenseman has spent nearly as much time on the East Coast as opposed to Alberta.
While Boychuk admits he enjoys life with his wife and two daughters, the 31-year-old doesn't take much of a mental break in between NHL seasons.
"Every year I come home and I’ll take 10-to-14 days off," Boychuk told the team's website. "I always do a light training session for the first week, then after that I start doing our strength and conditioning phases. Right now we’re probably getting into the heaviest strength phase coming up, then I do power skating in August for about a week."
Boychuk, who is listed at a bruising 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, will continue his training with a pro camp in Edmonton before joining his teammates to prepare for the upcoming season at the Barclays Center. New York finished with 101 points for its best regular-season performance since 1983-84 before being bested by Washington in seven games during the first round.
Signed to a seven-year, $42 million contract extension in March, Boychuk recorded career highs in both goals (nine) and points (35) in his first season with the Islanders. The veteran was acquired from the Boston Bruins for three draft picks prior to the start of the 2014-15 campaign.
A Stanley Cup winner with the Bruins in 2011, Boychuk has collected 28 tallies and 82 assists in 393 career contests.
(h/t New York Islanders)
