Saku Koivu honoured by Canadiens, fans in ceremony
Team, fans thank former captain
Saku Koivu received a lot of love from the Montreal Canadiens and their fans Thursday night as the team paid tribute to the former captain's 13 seasons with the Habs.
Koivu was on hand at the Bell Centre as a moving video chronicled the Finnish player's career in Montreal was shown before the Canadiens' game against Anaheim. The highlights included Koivu's triumphant return following chemotherapy treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma during the 2001-02 season.
Koivu captained the team from 1998 until his departure to Anaheim after the 2008-09 season. No. 11 still holds a place in the hearts of Montrealers, and that affection was on display Thursday. The feeling is clearly mutual.
Saku Koivu: "I will always be a Hab at my heart." <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoHabsGo?src=hash">#GoHabsGo</a>
—@All_HabsDe retour à la maison. / Welcome home, Saku. <a href="http://t.co/YpFNJPbTTs">pic.twitter.com/YpFNJPbTTs</a>
—@CanadiensMTL"Every NHL player should have the opportunity to play in Montreal in front of the best fans in the world." -Saku Koivu
—@CanadiensMTL