HabsCave basement celebrates Montreal's hockey passion and immigrant integration
Saint-Lazare collector Sunil Peetush built a shrine to Canadiens history from childhood memories
Few spaces in Montreal capture the city's hockey identity as intimately as the basement of Sunil Peetush, a lifelong fan, collector, and creator of what he calls the HabsCave.
Born in Montreal in 1978 to parents who arrived in 1969, Peetush traces his connection to hockey back to childhood, where the game transcended fandom and became a vehicle for belonging. "For me, being a child of an immigrant family… my integration was playing hockey," he said. "I would stand out the window and look at all the other kids playing hockey outside and I just…"
What began as youthful passion has evolved into a carefully curated basement shrine documenting Canadiens history, memorabilia, and the deeper cultural significance of hockey in Montreal's immigrant communities. The HabsCave represents not just nostalgia but a testament to how sport serves as a bridge for newcomers seeking to plant roots in their adopted city.