Back in the 1960s, the longest-serving captain in the Montreal Canadiens’ history, Jean Beliveau, started a tradition that is still going strong today: taking his team to visit sick children in Montreal’s hospital. On Tuesday, on a chilly Montreal winter day, the team visited three hospitals: the CHU Ste-Justine, the Montreal Children’s Hospital, and the Shriners Hospital for Children. Of course, their visit won’t heal the kids, but looking at the pictures of the event, it’s clear it cheered all of them up and their parents as well.
Yesterday, the Montreal Canadiens carried on a tradition started by Jean Beliveau in the 60s by visiting the Children’s Hospital and Shriners. Photo credit: Viktor Munhoz/Club de Hockey Canadien #GoHabsGo #CH #Canadiens #Habs pic.twitter.com/0ZbBstasdt
— Karine Hains (@KarineHains) December 6, 2023
Back in the 1980s, the world came together in music when a who’s who of the singing industry formed Band-Aid and released Do They Know It’s Christmas to raise funds for Africa. The lyrics of that song still ring true today. In the initial version, Boy George sang: “And in our world of plenty, we can spread a smile of joy, throw your arms around the World, at Christmas time” there’s no denying that today’s NHLers live in a world of plenty and seeing them spread some joy in the city’s hospitals this time of the year is wonderful.
For the team, this is a mandatory event for all players, whether they are healthy or not. Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook who are both out for a significant period of time joined Brendan Gallagher to tour the hospitals and decorate some Christmas cookies.
Yesterday, the Montreal Canadiens carried on a tradition started by Jean Beliveau in the 60s by visiting the Children’s Hospital and Shriners and being injured was no excuse. Photo credit: Pierre Bourgault/Club de Hockey Canadien #GoHabsGo #CH #Canadiens #Habs pic.twitter.com/Yz2RnlRbIM
— Karine Hains (@KarineHains) December 6, 2023
Cole Caufield, Mike Matheson, Sean Monahan and Jayden Struble teamed up to go door to door and spread some joy. Even kids who are quarantined in glass room were visited from the outside and Habs’ sniper Caufield got his best handwriting out to write a Christmas message on the glass in reverse so the kid could read it.
Yesterday, the Montreal Canadiens carried on a tradition started by Jean Beliveau in the 60s by visiting the Children’s Hospital and Shriners. Photo credit: Pierre Bourgault/Club de Hockey Canadien #GoHabsGo #CH #Canadiens #Habs pic.twitter.com/sdT5MHQOjq
— Karine Hains (@KarineHains) December 6, 2023
Kaiden Guhle, speaking about the visit, said, “We understand they are going through tough times, and visiting them to put a smile on their faces is the least we can do. The holidays are meant to be all about joy. If our presence can help them take their mind off it, we’ll have done our job here”. The 21-year-old defenseman is wise beyond his years, not only on the ice but off it as well.
After the morning’s practice, head coach Martin St-Louis explained that as professional athletes, especially in Montreal, it’s their duty to give their time to people who are in a difficult situation. He added that if they can cheer them up even just a little bit, it’s their duty to do it.
Prior to the actual practice, Kaiden Guhle, Juraj Slafkovsky and Christian Dvorak got to work on their shot with specialist Glen Tucker and some members of the team’s player development staff. If there’s one area of Slafkovsky’s game that needs improvement, it’s his confidence to shoot. Right now, the few seconds of hesitation he has before shooting are costly. They are allowing defensemen to close him down and goaltenders to set up for the upcoming shot.
Today, the Canadiens will be back to their usual routine, training at the CN Complex in Brossard in readiness for Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings. The Habs will have their work cut out for them as the Kings tied an NHL record last night, earning a 10th consecutive win on the road to start their season. Thursday in Montreal, Philip Danault, Pierre-Luc Dubois and co. will have the opportunity to break that record…something tells me they’ll be hungry for it. The last time the two teams met, LA was merciless and destroyed the Canadiens 4-0.
Yesterday, the Montreal Canadiens carried on a tradition started by Jean Beliveau in the 60s by visiting the Children’s Hospital and Shriners. Photo credit: Pierre Bourgault/Club de Hockey Canadien #GoHabsGo #CH #Canadiens #Habs pic.twitter.com/U6AUNURrYn
— Karine Hains (@KarineHains) December 6, 2023