International love

MONTREAL – Six months after stopping in Switzerland, the Montreal Canadiens Hockey School paid a visit to China, setting up shop in the Far East for the very first time.

With Canadiens alums Steve Shutt, Gaston Gingras, Patrice Brisebois and Mathieu Dandenault in tow, staff members made the 10,500 km trek to Beijing in early January for a 10-day trip designed to spread the love of the game – and a passion for the CH – to youngsters in China’s capital city, which also just happens to be the second most populous city in the world.

Some 150 kids in the U6 to U12 age groups took part in three separate two-day hockey camps staged at Beijing’s Hokay Skating Center and the Joy City Chaoyang mall.…