There is no question that the most important “Hughes” in the Bell Centre for each Canadiens home game is General Manager Kent Hughes. But last Saturday night, James Hughes came a close second. He is the president and CEO of the Old Brewery Mission and while the Habs defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-0, the city’s homeless were the big winners.

Upon arriving at the game Saturday to check in for my press box credentials, James Hughes was setting the stage for the night with the Habs’ vice president of Content Strategy and Commercial Marketing Shauna Denis. I then learned what a remarkable good deed the team was doing via the wonderful Montreal Canadiens Children Foundation and their 50/50 raffle ticket draw. Denis told me at the end of the evening that the jackpot in support of the Old Brewery Mission hit $133,140! With Groupe CH and the Mirella and Lino Saputo Foundation each matching the entirety of the charitable split, Old Brewery Mission will receive nearly $200,000 to help end the cycle of homelessness. “ Amazing results!” she said.

And there was more. Prior to the puck drop, at the Canadiens Plaza in the Rio Tinto courtyard, the public was being asked to donate machine washable coats, winter boots, blankets, hats, scarves, gloves, backpacks, travel size toiletries, warm socks, leggings, and stretch pants. Founded in 1889, the Old Brewery Mission is one of Montreal’s longest-running charitable organizations, dedicated to ending the cycle of homelessness. In 2024, it announced a major fundraising initiative aimed at generating $50 million over five years. “We are delighted with the wonderful recognition and importance of helping everyone in need,” James told me. “We are both institutions with over 100 years of history making winters better for our fellow citizens in Montreal; together, we’re helping prove that sport can be an important driver of compassion and social change.”

As for Kent Hughes, James said he never met him but that they do have something in common. They both attended Beaconsfield High School. “He was five years behind me,” he said. “He is super accomplished. And what an amazing Montrealer he is.”

POLITICIANS AT THE GAME: I ran into two high profile political figures at the game. Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada was on hand to support the Old Brewery Mission, wearing her Habs jersey with the number 25 on the back and her first name spelled out. She gave me a warm greeting and expressed her pride of having “the greatest team in the world” representing our city. How nice it was to see she remains as sincere as those early days on the campaign trail. At the press box check-in I also shared a nice hello with Quebec Minister of Employment Pascale Déry. She was there to say hello to her good friend TVA Habs analyst Dany Dubé. Déry was a colleague of his for many years.

HFTV’S MAGICAL RIDE: When I was growing up, and until recent years, for Montreal Canadiens media coverage I was always peeled to the local radio and television scene as well as print publications. Social media has changed that game completely. In our city, Tony Marinaro’s Sick Podcast and the still rather upstart HFTV lead the pack. During the first intermission and outdoors after the Habs game Saturday, I spent some time with HFTV founder Alex Rougas, his partner Cédrik Séguin and their loyal base of followers. Read more about them on my blog on The Suburban website and please also check out my Instagram reels.

HAB-BITS: Former Lac St. Louis Lions Midget AAA coach Jon Goyens is doing a terrific job with JP O’Connor handling colour commentary for Habs TSN 690 broadcasts with play by play man Victor Findlay. See my blog and Instagram for more with Jon…That was a nice touch Saturday to have the vocal quartet Quartom sing the national anthems at the game.

Have an item to share? Mike Cohen can be reached at mcohen@thesuburban.com