The Capitals will host their sixth annual "Hockey Talks" night and wear "Do It For Daron" t-shirts when arriving to the rink on Monday.
ARLINGTON, V.A. — Sometimes, the most important part of being a friend is simply being there to lean on.
That's the message Jakob Chychrun is sending as he and the Washington Capitals hold their sixth annual Hockey Talks Mental Health Awareness night, a cause that hits close to home for Chychrun himself.
In November 2010, Chychrun's cousin, Daron Richardson, died by suicide. She was 14 years old, and Chychrun was 12 at the time.
"It's obviously something that hits close to home for us," Chychrun told The Hockey News.
Chychrun remembers spending time with Daron at the rink; the two bonded through their love of hockey. When the tragedy happened, it was one that shook the defenseman and his family, as Daron didn't show signs that she was struggling.
While Chychrun himself was unable to relate to what Daron was going through, he stressed the importance of making sure that you're not alone.
"I know how important it is not to hold those emotions in and to be able to find a way to not internalize and not go through it all by yourself," Chychrun said. "It's so important to have some sort of help or something that you're able to get those things off your chest, and I think that's the first step."
In addition to that, he noted how impactful it can be to simply be there for a teammate or friend.
"That's kind of the thing that we continue to preach, to be a good friend. You don't always need to have the answers for somebody... sometimes, people just need a friend to listen to them and be just a sounding board. Sometimes that's the best thing you could do in that moment, is just be there for a buddy."
After Daron's passing, her parents started "Do It For Daron," a public call-to-action to support young people who struggle with mental illness.
In support of Chychrun and the cause, the Capitals will arrive at the rink on Monday wearing DIFD t-shirts.
"It's nice for the team to reach out and want to do something around DIFD, that always means a lot to my family and myself," Chychrun said, adding, "Whenever a tragedy happens within your family, you just feel all the love and support from those around you. That's really what means the most, to have it come from your peers and people that you love and are with every day, it's always special."
Not only is the night an important one to Chychrun, but to several more in the organization, including prospect and Hershey Bears goaltender Clay Stevenson.
Stevenson, a longtime mental health advocate, lost his mother, Holly, to suicide in 2019, after years of struggles. She was a paramedic in British Columbia, and someone who has continued to inspire Stevenson's career and journey as a goalie.
Stevenson wears a Star of Life on the back of his mask in memory of his mother.
"You wear a heavy burden (as a goalie), and sometimes, you're always just thrown into that fight and you have to stay calm, cool and collected. You have to be a professional and you carry yourself to a certain standard, and it's just something I think she did very well," Stevenson said of Holly. "She always carried herself with such charisma and such strength... it just helps remind me to stay calm in chaos."
Stevenson's looking forward to watching the Capitals use in-game programming to raise further awareness, and said it's important for initiatives like Hockey Talks to continue beyond the rink.
"I've been a supporter of mental health all my life and personally had to lean on others, and I think the more the community relies on each other or stuff like that, I think the better outcomes you'll have," Stevenson said, adding, "Sometimes, you don't see people that suffer in silence. It's good to speak out and stuff like that."
The sign Chychrun made for Monday's game says it all: "One stride at a time," a mentality he carries with him on and off the ice.
And, as he and the team promote mental health, he's happy to see the conversation go beyond Monday's game.
"It's bigger than just a league-wide thing," Chychrun said. "I think it's becoming a nationwide thing. Being able to talk about it is the first step. It's very encouraging."
"There's always a big stigma around mental health and being tough," Stevenson added. "It's okay to be tough, but it's tough to be tough alone."
The Capitals and MSE Foundation will present Shoulder Check, an initiative that emphasizes commitment to reaching out, checking in and making contact on and off the ice, with a $10,000 donation during the game. All proceeds from the 50/50 raffle will also benefit Morgan's Message, which works to amplify and strengthen student-athlete mental health.