Hockey fever reaches Montrealers experiencing homelessness

MONTREAL — Stephane Vallieres remembers going to the old Montreal Forum at age 12 to watch the Canadiens play the Quebec Nordiques like it was yesterday.

On Tuesday night, he was among about two dozen people in the cafeteria of the Old Brewery Mission homelessness resource centre, near Montreal’s Chinatown, tuning in to watch Game 4 of the Canadiens’ second-round playoff series against the Buffalo Sabres.

Some wore Habs jerseys and hats. Others wore red.

Vallieres said game night is best enjoyed with a group.

“The atmosphere here, the chemistry … we’re here to have a good time,” he said. “We’re watching what everyone likes, and there’s no arguing.”

Montrealers have caught hockey fever, and residents of the Old Brewery Mission’s downtown shelter are no different.

While some watched from the cafeteria, others tuned in from the lounges on the upper floors. Even those getting their hair cut by barbers who drop in once a month kept their eyes glued to the screen as they got their trim.

Vallieres is a lifelong Canadiens fan. His face lit up as he spoke about the team’s roster, saying he believes the team is good enough to bring home the Stanley Cup this year. The 57-year-old played hockey at the bantam level in his youth and said he always donned a Habs jersey with the number 10, belonging to his idol Guy Lafleur.

Vallieres was evicted from his apartment two years ago and got a room at the Mission in September as he waits to be approved for the city’s social housing program. He said events like the NHL playoffs get his mind off things.

Vallieres sat with his friend Allen Hayward, another diehard Canadiens fan who has been at the Mission for four years after losing his job in the construction sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It makes you temporarily forget that you’re here, which is a gorgeous thing right there,” he said of game nights.

“It would be more fun to watch it with these people, but at my apartment.”

As the Canadiens took the lead in the first period, those gathered to watch the game broke into chants of “Olé! Olé! Olé! Olé!” Even those not watching asked fans smoking outside in between periods about the game.

Yolette Jean is used to picking up people who use the Mission’s drop-in centre — where people can grab a coffee and food or take a nap — and driving them to other resources around the city.

On Tuesday, barely anyone got in her shuttle, she said.

“I came to pick people up at Café Mission, and they said, ‘Ma’am, no, no. Oh, we’re fine here,’” Jean said. “They said they’re not interested; they want to watch the game.”

They asked her if she could bring back any donated Canadiens T-shirts or jerseys.

James Hughes, director of the Mission, said the first thing he heard when he walked in Tuesday morning was, “It’s going to be 4-2 tonight!”

“It’s all anyone’s talking about,” he said. “It brings the mood up. It can be dark here. These are people who are isolated and struggling, people who have suffered enormous loss.”

But for a few hours, they share a common experience and love of the sport — and maybe even get to win, he adds.

The Old Brewery Mission isn’t the only place where those experiencing homelessness can catch the game.

The CAP St-Barnabé and the Welcome Hall Mission run shelters, transitional housing units and emergency service centres across the city. Both say residents love to set up their own viewing parties in the common rooms.

“Hockey fever has really taken hold here,” said Michelle Patenaude, the head of CAP St-Barnabé.

Over at the Welcome Hall Mission, residents are typically expected to be back in their rooms and studios by 10 p.m. Director and CEO Sam Watts said game nights are an exception.

He said curfew is extended to make sure those watching the game in the lounges don’t miss a thing if the Canadiens go into overtime.

“People who don’t have a permanent address are possibly even more passionate about the Habs than I am,” said Watts.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 13, 2026.

Erika Morris, The Canadian Press