Surprising Diets of Hockey stars

[Gerulaitis]

Wayne Gretzky used to eat McDonalds during his practice days

Ovechkin powers his game with chicken parm, Subway, cheetos and pepsi

MacKinnon sticks to a strict no-carb diet like chickpea pasta

Bobby Orr was known to eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches before games for quick energy boost

What other hockey players have unusual /unconventional diet preferences? Drop your knowledge here

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

Zdeno Chara followed a mostly vegan diet, only sometimes eating fish or eggs.

Iirc, Peter Forsberg said he ran home from lunch in school and pretty much subsisted on cinnamon buns for the longest time, and that it was rather late that he got into fitness and eating somewhat healthy, spurred by competing with his friend Markus Näslund.

Jonathan Hedström wrote an autobiography and has been a public speaker on the subject of eating disorders; issues which plagued his career for years. Haven’t read his book but listened to a couple of interviews. He broke through the SEL with my Luleå HF and was a beloved, gritty and fearless player whose game you thought would translate well into the NHL, but his mental health deteriorated and he’s talked about how he went from blocking shots like it was nothing to getting seriously hurt because of how skinny he was becoming.

It’s pretty dark but I think he overcame most of his struggles eventually and got healthy. Regarding his diet, I saw an interview late in his career where he talked about his eating disorder, while cooking the kind of food which worked out for him, I guess, but it seemed kind of peculiar. He made traditional Swedish ground beef patties (similar to meatballs) but without sauce or potatos, just the meat patties, “perhaps add some lingonberries mixed with ketchup”. I couldn’t help but chuckle at how odd that dish sounded to me.

 

[Voight]

Phil Kessel... no explanation needed

 

[Gerulaitis]

Phil Kessel... no explanation needed

Really? He was kind of a chubby guy

 

[Gerulaitis]

Zdeno Chara followed a mostly vegan diet, only sometimes eating fish or eggs.

Iirc, Peter Forsberg said he ran home from lunch in school and pretty much subsisted on cinnamon buns for the longest time, and that it was rather late that he got into fitness and eating somewhat healthy, spurred by competing with his friend Markus Näslund.

Jonathan Hedström wrote an autobiography and has been a public speaker on the subject of eating disorders; issues which plagued his career for years. Haven’t read his book but listened to a couple of interviews. He broke through the SEL with my Luleå HF and was a beloved, gritty and fearless player whose game you thought would translate well into the NHL, but his mental health deteriorated and he’s talked about how he went from blocking shots like it was nothing to getting seriously hurt because of how skinny he was becoming.

It’s pretty dark but I think he overcame most of his struggles eventually and got healthy. Regarding his diet, I saw an interview late in his career where he talked about his eating disorder, while cooking the kind of food which worked out for him, I guess, but it seemed kind of peculiar. He made traditional Swedish ground beef patties (similar to meatballs) but without sauce or potatos, just the meat patties, “perhaps add some lingonberries mixed with ketchup”. I couldn’t help but chuckle at how odd that dish sounded to me.

Nice to learn something new

 

[GMR]

Lemieux and Ovechkin are the poster boys for this topic.

 

[MadLuke]

Well known I think, but Georges Laraque was full vegan around 2009 and he was vegetarian before.

Because he was one of the heaviest player in the league, that could have surprised some.

 

[Brodeur]

Excerpt from 'Brodeur: Behind The Crease'

In an excerpt from the new book "Brodeur: Beyond The Crease," Devils goalie Martin Brodeur tells us what he goes through to prepare for a game.

www.espn.com

After the warmup, I go into the dressing room, take my mask and gloves off, and drink three-quarters of a can of Sprite. That's my drink. Gatorade hurts my stomach, and water just doesn't give me enough of a lift. I'll drink three cans of Sprite a night; one before the game, and one during each of the intermissions.

 

[The Panther]

Ken Hitchcock's diet c. 1980s to mid-1990s = everything not nailed down

Krutov = donuts

 

[shello]

Crosby and his peanut butter and jelly sandwiches is pretty well known

 

[Gerulaitis]

Lemieux and Ovechkin are the poster boys for this topic.

What did Lemieux eat?

 

[Michael Farkas]

Lemieux quipped that him getting ready for the season meant not getting a milkshake with his burger and fries or something like that.

 

[Michael Farkas]

Ken Hitchcock's diet c. 1980s to mid-1990s = everything not nailed down

I forget if I learned this directly from him at a coaching clinic or from someone that he worked with...but he would sit there and eat a whole pizza, sometimes two, when reviewing the previous game's tape in Kamloops.

 

[Gerulaitis]

Lemieux quipped that him getting ready for the season meant not getting a milkshake with his burger and fries or something like that.

Probably burgers and fries were healthier back in the day

 

[Michael Farkas]

Speaking of the WHL, Pavel Brendl ate himself out of the league.

I met Andrew Ference once, he gave me the impression that he doesn't eat anything that used to have a shadow haha - I forget what his deal was but I remember it being interesting. He's a particular fella...

 

[WarriorofTime]

Krutov story is sad. Came over as an early Soviet. Collect calls not as practical and no internet to keep everyone more interconnected. No real support system in place. Just a guy with a huge culture shock, that didn’t speak the language, didn’t have much of a support system and newfound money/freedom. Latched onto junk food and alcohol to deal with depression.

 

[MK9]

I'm relatively certain that Keith Tkachuk post playing career ate an entire Keith Tkachuk from his actual playing career.