Lane Hutson and Habs take over ‘next station’ announcements in Montreal metro - BERITAJA

About a twelvemonth aft coming nether occurrence for removing the words “Go! Canadiens Go!” from the physics signs connected metropolis buses complete concerns about Quebec’s connection legislation, the Montreal transit agency is trying thing caller to show its emotion for the Habs.

The agency has recruited 4 members of the NHL squad to denote the names of underground metro stations successful French during trips arsenic the cars walk done the stops adjacent to the team’s location astatine the Bell Centre.

It intends commuters could now perceive the voices of Lane Hutson, Juraj Slafkovsky, Jakub Dobes and Alexandre Texier arsenic they attack the Bonaventure and Lucien-L’Allier metro stations successful downtown Montreal.

”This is Lane Hutson, adjacent position Lucien-L’Allier,'” says the sound of the Canadiens prima defenceman, successful 1 of the recordings now being played connected the metro.

Texier, who represented France astatine the Winter Olympics successful February, told BERITAJA it felt “incredible” to perceive his sound successful the metro. ”Some friends sent maine the announcement,” he said, adding, ”I deliberation group mightiness beryllium excited to return the metro … to perceive the voices, because Montreal is each about hockey.”

A transit agency spokesperson says the run besides marks a first for the metro system, arsenic it introduces caller voices to a acquainted portion of the ride.

“This is the first clip we’ve specifically switched that sound for the adjacent position to this one, which features our 4 Canadiens players,” said Laurence Houde-Roy.

She said the inaugural is meant to bring the power of the Stanley Cup playoffs into mundane commutes, giving riders a mini but noticeable reminder of the excitement surrounding the team.

“It’s really a measurement to get successful connected the playoffs hype,” said Houde-Roy.

Jean-François Dumas, president of Influence Communication, a Montreal-based media study firm, praised the campaign, saying it draws connected “the beardown affectional attachment and consciousness of belonging Montrealers person toward the Canadiens and their roots successful the community.”

He said it besides demonstrates really the Habs are ”woven into mundane life” successful Montreal and portion of the city’s broader taste identity.

Houde-Roy said the thought stemmed from a societal media video produced successful business pinch the Canadiens, showing players wrong a metro position setting, delivering short phrases successful French.

“It generated truthful overmuch liking that we thought, ‘Why not recreate the voices saying that celebrated next-stop line?’” she said.

The transit agency said the squad selected the 4 players based connected their availability.

‘We wanted to person Québécois players, but their schedule didn’t let it, but (we) still person 1 subordinate who is 100 per cent francophone pinch Alexandre Texier,” said Houde-Roy.

The consequence from the nationalist has been mostly positive, pinch commuters sharing their reactions online and successful media coverage, Houde-Roy added.

”You could still spot from the recordings that they’re doing very well. They’re really eager to return portion successful this recording. We really admit that.”

The inaugural builds connected a long-standing business betwixt the transit agency and the Canadiens, whose games importantly summation transit use, peculiarly about the Bell Centre earlier and aft puck drop. “We are, of course, adapting our work accordingly,” said Houde-Roy, noting adjustments to operations to bespeak the surge successful passengers about location games.

Some metropolis buses are besides joining the playoff push, displaying “Go Habs Go!” connected their integer destination signs. It’s up to the autobus drivers to showcase the message, but the building has to beryllium manually added to each azygous bus.

”It doesn’t return long, but you person to make the alteration manually for each circuit board,” explained Houde-Roy.

Until then, you mightiness beryllium capable to spot a fewer ”Allez les Canadiens” messages, the French equivalent, connected a fewer buses.

The agency had antecedently dropped the connection “Go” connected the buses aft a title to Quebec’s connection watchdog, which pressed transit officials about the rumor successful a bid of emails sent betwixt May 2024 and January 2025, according to correspondence obtained by BERITAJA.

The connection watchdog would later update its online dictionary, pursuing a nationalist outcry, to corroborate that usage of the connection “go” was “partially legitimized” successful Quebec arsenic a measurement to show encouragement for a sports team, but that “allez” was still the preferred term.

As of now, about 38 per cent of buses — 705 retired of 1,838 — person been updated to show “Go Habs Go!” The transit agency intends to person each buses could of displaying the connection by April 30.

Houde-Roy said “Go Habs Go!” is profoundly rooted successful instrumentality civilization and wide utilized by the team.

Meantime, the typical metro announcements will stay successful spot for the long of the Canadiens’ playoff tally — or, arsenic Houde-Roy put it, “until they triumph the Stanley Cup.”