Few spaces capture Montreal’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 was less about fandom than 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 wanted to be like the other kids… So I’d get in there, jump on the street and play ball hockey, and that’s really where it started.”
That early desire to fit in became something more lasting.
“From there it grew into my passion for the Canadiens,” he said.
In Montreal, the Canadiens were always present, but Peetush says his real connection came a few years later.
“I always knew the Montreal Canadiens existed,” he said. “‘86 was really when it started for me, watching Patrick Roy in his rookie year carry the team to that Stanley Cup. That’s really when I got the bug.”
He also recognized something personal in the position that defined that era.
“I was always the kid thrown in the net,” he said. “I gravitated to the goaltending position… that’s when it really sparked for me and it ignited.”
What began with hockey cards at age five gradually grew into autographs, sticks, jerseys, and anything tied to the team. Over time, the collection followed him from home to home, expanding with each stage of life.
“As I grew older, the memorabilia grew a little bit more larger and a little bit more expensive,” he said.
Eventually, the collection outgrew boxes and corners of rooms. The answer wasn’t to scale back — it was to build.
“I am a general contractor by trade right now,” he said. “Every house I’ve had, I’ve had a basement. I’ve been able to recreate this man cave house by house.”
That process ultimately created what is now known as the HabsCave — a basement transformed into a permanent home for decades of collecting.
“Here I am in this house, which I hope to stay in for a long time,” he said. “My wife was okay with it. I’ve been collecting for years and it’s just all on display here. I’m proud of it. I love that it’s all red, white and blue. It’s very nostalgic.”
What began as a private space changed in 2019 when a chance visit altered its trajectory.
“There was a young journalist that sort of caught wind,” Peetush said. “He asked if he could do some live hits during a Tampa Bay–Montreal game in January.”
The visit turned into a live broadcast during the game, capturing the energy of the basement on camera.
“He did some live hits before the game and during intermissions,” Peetush said.
The footage quickly spread — and with it, the HabsCave’s profile grew.
“I started a page on my own,” he said. “It started with just sharing pictures and talking about the story behind certain pieces.”
The response surprised him.
“I noticed a lot of other collectors started following my page and sending messages of gratitude,” he said. “A lot of collectors don’t share their pieces for personal or security reasons.”
From there, the momentum became self-sustaining.
“It organically turned into something way more than I could have ever imagined. The Canadiens took notice as well, and it’s grown from there. It’s overwhelmingly been positive.”
Even now, his focus remains intentional.
“I’m focused on the Canadiens’ history — there’s so much there — and on my experiences as a season ticket holder.”
Despite the attention, the basement remains personal at its core.
“As soon as I come down here, it’s all nostalgia driven,” he said. “Our daily problems kind of disappear. I’m focusing on the pieces I’ve acquired and the history of the Habs.”
Even moments tied to childhood heroes still carry weight.
“Having pieces from Patrick Roy was incredible,” he said. “He was a player I idolized growing up.”
“I’m in shock every day,” he added. “And the people who know me growing up are also in shock. I try to include a lot of my friends in these adventures. It’s a lot of fun.”
For Peetush, the Canadiens represent more than sport. They sit inside a larger cultural identity.
“There’s a huge cultural aspect,” he said. “I’m born here, born and raised in Quebec. I’m bilingual, so I’m a Quebecer.”
He describes the team as deeply woven into the province’s identity.
“It’s intertwined into the cultural aspect of Quebec,” he said. “There’s a religious aspect — the team has become such a religion here. It’s the heartbeat of the city, the heartbeat of the province.”
When the team performs well, he says, the entire city shifts.
“You feel it when the team is doing well,” he said. “Everybody’s more upbeat… It’s so intertwined in the pulse of the city.”
For Peetush, the experience extends far beyond his basement. It continues inside the Bell Centre — and across the city itself.
“I’ve been lucky enough in my life to go to two Stanley Cup parades in ’86 and ’93,” he said. “Both are incredible, and I hold great memories of those Stanley Cup runs.”
But what he sees today feels different.
“This time is different because I’m surrounded by younger people who’ve never experienced any of those,” he said. “To them, it’s all new.”
Game nights now extend far beyond the arena walls.
“There’s 30 to 40,000 people outside watching the game while there’s 21,000 inside,” he said.
Even before fans reach downtown, the atmosphere builds.
“I’m 45 minutes outside downtown and there’s electricity in the air,” he said. “You see the car flags, the house flags.”
As they approach the arena, the energy intensifies.
“Once you hit Avenue des Canadiens, it hits you — everyone’s wearing a jersey. It’s electric.”
Inside, the experience becomes something else entirely.
“When they start playing that music and that torch comes in, it’s insane,” he said. “It’s like going to church. You’re going to church tonight.”
That intensity comes with emotional weight.
“The stress is that when you get a taste, you really want them to go far,” he said. “We live and breathe through this team.”
“Every minute is stressful,” he added. “We’re either cheering or clutching our hats.”
But he says that tension is part of the experience.
“That’s what adds to the drama,” he said. “That’s why we watch sports.”
For Peetush, fans are not observers — they are part of the game itself.
“We are the sixth player out there,” he said. “The energy that we bring affects the players.”
He believes the relationship between team and city is reciprocal.
“I’ve had the opportunity to talk to former players,” he said. “It makes a difference.”
That belief shapes how he views fandom.
“Get out there, cheer, buy a flag, put it on your car,” he said. “Just have fun and enjoy it.”
Because nothing is guaranteed.
“Getting into the playoffs is such a privilege,” he said.
And when it happens, he says, the entire city transforms.
