Canadiens players made their annual Christmas visits to three Montreal-area children’s hospitals on Wednesday, and newly acquired forward Patrik Laine was a big hit.
The Finnish forward came well-prepared, showing up with a Santa hat on his head and his wrists stacked with colourful friendship bracelets reminiscent of those found at a Taylor Swift concert.
Each one featured uplifting messages like “SMILE,” “HOPE,” “COURAGE,” “YOUPPI,” and “GO HABS GO” in both English and French.
The hospital visits have been a December staple for the Canadiens for over 50 years, dating back to when longtime captain Jean Béliveau first organized them.
“It touches a lot of guys to put smiles on the faces of kids and families. I think it’s good for the parents, too, to see their kid smiling in more difficult times,” Montreal defenceman David Savard told NHL.com on Wednesday. “For us, it’s always a nice day, and a chance to give back.”
While he makes a pretty good Santa, Laine recently received a thoughtful gift of his own. A Montreal-based TikTok artist, @jb_artmtl, created a custom painting of the 6-foot-4 winger in his Canadiens uniform. The artwork was commissioned by his fiancée, Jordan, and has been making the rounds on social media.
In a video of him opening the gift, the 26-year-old can be heard saying, “I don’t like it, I love it. ”
Meanwhile, fortune has been coming his way on the ice as well. Since returning from a preseason knee injury, he’s already made a big impact on his new team, scoring three goals in his first four games with the Canadiens.
Laine and the Habs are back in action tonight as Montreal takes on the Pittsburgh Penguins at home.