CHC/Bob Fisher

MONTREAL - A child’s smile is one of life’s greatest blessings. The Canadiens have always taken that maxim to heart, and for the past 45 years, they’ve been putting it into action with their annual visits to children’s hospitals in Montreal.

On Tuesday, the Habs split up and headed across the city to visit sick kids at CHU Sainte-Justine and the Montreal Children’s Hospital.

The Habs may appear larger-than-life in their jerseys on screen, but on Tuesday the young fans were thrilled to hang out with their heroes in person.

The trip marked the first visit to the local hospital for close to a dozen Canadiens stars, including Michael Cammalleri, Hal Gill, Benoit Pouliot, Travis Moen and Jaroslav Spacek to name a few.

Scott Gomez and Brian Gionta were also part of the crew making the rounds on Tuesday, though it was déjà vu for the two speedy forwards who have been welcoming sick kids to home games since the start of the season as part of their Les Amis de Scott et Brian initiative.

CHC/Bob Fisher

The first-timers to the hospital were joined by a solid veteran presence, as Youppi! was on hand as always to show them the ropes.

Every year, the magic and excitement in the eyes of the kids is undeniable and this year was no exception. While the Habs’ visit gave the young patients a chance to forget where they were for a few hours, it was also an emotional and touching afternoon for the players themselves.

For a first-hand look at the unforgettable day for everyone involved, check out the slideshow of the visit.

Vincent Cauchy is a writer for canadiens.com. Translated by Shauna Denis.

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