When a Montreal Canadiens jersey made former Chinese Premier an honorary Habs member

By Ankit Kumar

Modified Jul 18, 2023 23:31 GMT

Montreal Canadiens played host to an extraordinary moment of diplomacy and cultural exchange when Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, accompanied by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, attended a training match in September 2016.

The iconic Bell Centre provided the backdrop for this historic visit, where the leaders were immersed in the storied history of the Montreal Canadiens. Founded in 1909, the team has an illustrious record of 24 National Hockey League championships, which was showcased during the enlightening briefing received by Li and Trudeau.

The iconic Bell Centre

Inside the team's locker room, Premier Li and Prime Minister Trudeau were presented with personalized Montreal Canadiens jerseys, adorned with their names and the number 1. Expressing his delight, Premier Li humorously remarked that the jersey fits him perfectly, effectively granting him an honorary membership in the esteemed hockey club.

With jerseys donned, Premier Li and Prime Minister Trudeau made their way onto the ice, exchanging enthusiastic high-fives with young players eagerly awaiting their arrival. The premier expressed his pleasure in experiencing Canada's national sport alongside Prime Minister Trudeau in Montreal, widely recognized as the birthplace of ice hockey.

A special highlight of the event came when the two leaders had the honor of dropping the ceremonial first puck for a training game involving young players of Chinese origin. Throughout the match, Premier Li and Prime Minister Trudeau cheered on the talented children, appreciating their energetic moves, and showed their support for the growth and development of ice hockey.

Premier Li's visit to the Montreal Canadiens was part of his broader trip to Canada, which marked the first official visit by a Chinese head of government in 13 years. His visit to Ottawa preceded the Montreal stop, where he embarked on a historic journey aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and fostering cooperation between China and Canada.

Following their time in Montreal, Premier Li and his delegation continued their international tour, traveling to Cuba to engage in further diplomatic endeavors.

Celine Dion paid tribute to Montreal Canadiens' Guy Lafleur

Pop music legend Celine Dion paid tribute to Montreal Canadiens hockey legend Guy Lafleur, who passed away at the age of 70 recently. Dion shared a rare photo of her son with Lafleur, expressing her condolences and describing him as an idol.

She said,

“I feel honoured that my dear son RC had the privilege to meet Mr. Lafleur. We will always cherish this moment, which had a huge impact on our entire family.”

Lafleur, a five-time Stanley Cup champion and top scorer in Canadiens history, had a remarkable career, including multiple awards and induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.