I realize that those of you reading this are not Maple Leaf fans. The true die-hard Leaf fans who understand the title have surely turned the page by now. The NHL started up in earnest last week and so began the one hundredth season of Montreal Canadiens hockey.

If you grew up in a French Canadian family there is little doubt that if the family followed hockey you did not have a choice as to whom you cheered for or where your hockey loyalties were. I was no different. Funny thing, the most vivid childhood memory of cheering for the Habs is one that those not reading this remember fondly. It is after all, their last fond memory. I can still see George Armstrong shooting the puck into the empty net giving the Maple Leafs a 3–1 win way back in 1967. Then things would change. My youth would be spotted with great times and every time I watch a classic old game or see a highlight of those wonderful years, I, like you, can relate to it as though the clock has been turned back—the stories of the ghosts that haunted the old Forum, conjured up when the team really needed a boost, like the too-many-men-on-the-ice call against Don Cherry’s Bruins. Or how about the year they celebrated the final season at the Forum? The ovation that the Rocket received still goes down in memory as one of the greatest tributes anyone can get. Make no mistake, the Canadiens were and still may be a part of the culture in Quebec.

How are the Canadiens going to celebrate this season? For one, every game will be like a playoff game inside the Bell Centre. The pre-game on ice video show should be a dandy. Expect lots of old-time greats to be at the games, and in true Canadiens fashion, it will be classy all the way through the season. In November they will retire Patrick Roy’s sweater, number 33. I’ll be there, and Bruins fans, please don’t call me as I don’t have an extra stub. That mean’s you, Steve. In fact, if you plan to see a game this year, unless you are hooked up already, forget trying. Tickets are next to near impossible to secure at this late stage of the season!

Probably the most fun of all will be the nights when the team wears retro jerseys. The Leafs did this a few years back to recognize the many jerseys worn over the years and their popular green St. Patrick’s sweaters are still for sale in sports stores. The All-star game will be held in Montreal as well. Checking the Canadiens’ website, I had a peek into the past and so can you. There are seven different sweaters and some are sure to be top sellers for the Christmas season. I am not sure which one is my favourite; I am partial to the barber pole circa 1912 and the—dare I say it—Maple Leafs’ blue and white 1910 version is sure to have Leaf fans grinning for at least one night. The Canadian Mint is getting in the act with a series of six collector coins showing the evolution of the famous “Club de hockey Canadien” logo. What ever your allegiance is, like the Yankees in baseball or Cowboys in football, this will be a season of pride, one to boast proudly about, and who knows, a twenty-fifth Stanley Cup could be in the wings. For you suffering Leaf fans out there, vent as loud as you would like. Email: thom_racine@hotmail.com