{"id":670019,"date":"2026-05-15T00:13:16","date_gmt":"2026-05-15T00:13:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/670019\/"},"modified":"2026-05-15T00:13:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T00:13:16","slug":"inside-the-habscave-a-saint-lazare-basement-built-on-canadiens-history-and-passion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/670019\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside the HabsCave: a Saint-Lazare basement built on Canadiens history and passion"},"content":{"rendered":"

Few spaces capture Montreal\u2019s hockey identity as intimately as the basement of Sunil Peetush \u2014 a lifelong fan, collector, and creator of what he calls the HabsCave.<\/a><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, being a child of an immigrant family\u2026 my integration was playing hockey,\u201d he said. \u201cI 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\u2026 So I\u2019d get in there, jump on the street and play ball hockey, and that\u2019s really where it started.\u201d<\/p>\n

That early desire to fit in became something more lasting.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom there it grew into my passion for the Canadiens,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"\"The back of a jersey reading \u201cHabsCave\u201d is seen as superfan Sunil Peetush walks into his Montreal Canadiens memorabilia-filled basement on May 13, 2026. (CityNews)<\/p>\n

The moment the Canadiens became personal<\/p>\n

In Montreal, the Canadiens were always present, but Peetush says his real connection came a few years later.<\/p>\n

\u201cI always knew the Montreal Canadiens existed,\u201d he said. \u201c\u201886 was really when it started for me, watching Patrick Roy in his rookie year carry the team to that Stanley Cup. That\u2019s really when I got the bug.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also recognized something personal in the position that defined that era.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was always the kid thrown in the net,\u201d he said. \u201cI gravitated to the goaltending position\u2026 that\u2019s when it really sparked for me and it ignited.\u201d<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs I grew older, the memorabilia grew a little bit more larger and a little bit more expensive,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"\"Inside the HabsCave, a basement built and curated by superfan Sunil Peetush filled with Montreal Canadiens memorabilia, is seen on May 13, 2026. (CityNews)<\/p>\n

From collection to construction: the birth of the HabsCave<\/p>\n

Eventually, the collection outgrew boxes and corners of rooms. The answer wasn\u2019t to scale back \u2014 it was to build.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am a general contractor by trade right now,\u201d he said. \u201cEvery house I\u2019ve had, I\u2019ve had a basement. I\u2019ve been able to recreate this man cave house by house.\u201d<\/p>\n

That process ultimately created what is now known as the HabsCave \u2014 a basement transformed into a permanent home for decades of collecting.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere I am in this house, which I hope to stay in for a long time,\u201d he said. \u201cMy wife was okay with it. I\u2019ve been collecting for years and it\u2019s just all on display here. I\u2019m proud of it. I love that it\u2019s all red, white and blue. It\u2019s very nostalgic.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Inside the HabsCave, a basement built and curated by superfan Sunil Peetush filled with Montreal Canadiens memorabilia, is seen on May 13, 2026. (CityNews)<\/p>\n

From basement to public spotlight<\/p>\n

What began as a private space changed in 2019 when a chance visit altered its trajectory.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a young journalist that sort of caught wind,\u201d Peetush said. \u201cHe asked if he could do some live hits during a Tampa Bay\u2013Montreal game in January.\u201d<\/p>\n

The visit turned into a live broadcast during the game, capturing the energy of the basement on camera.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe did some live hits before the game and during intermissions,\u201d Peetush said.<\/p>\n

The footage quickly spread \u2014 and with it, the HabsCave\u2019s profile grew.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started a page on my own,\u201d he said. \u201cIt started with just sharing pictures and talking about the story behind certain pieces.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Inside the HabsCave, a basement built and curated by superfan Sunil Peetush filled with Montreal Canadiens memorabilia, is seen on May 13, 2026. (CityNews)<\/p>\n

The response surprised him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI noticed a lot of other collectors started following my page and sending messages of gratitude,\u201d he said. \u201cA lot of collectors don\u2019t share their pieces for personal or security reasons.\u201d<\/p>\n

From there, the momentum became self-sustaining.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt organically turned into something way more than I could have ever imagined. The Canadiens took notice as well, and it\u2019s grown from there. It\u2019s overwhelmingly been positive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even now, his focus remains intentional.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m focused on the Canadiens\u2019 history \u2014 there\u2019s so much there \u2014 and on my experiences as a season ticket holder.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Inside the HabsCave, a basement built and curated by superfan Sunil Peetush filled with Montreal Canadiens memorabilia, is seen on May 13, 2026. (CityNews)<\/p>\n

A space built on memory, not just memorabilia<\/p>\n

Despite the attention, the basement remains personal at its core.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs soon as I come down here, it\u2019s all nostalgia-driven,\u201d he said. \u201cOur daily problems kind of disappear. I\u2019m focusing on the pieces I\u2019ve acquired and the history of the Habs.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Inside the HabsCave, a basement built and curated by superfan Sunil Peetush filled with Montreal Canadiens memorabilia, is seen on May 13, 2026. (CityNews)<\/p>\n

Even moments tied to childhood heroes still carry weight.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving pieces from Patrick Roy was incredible,\u201d he said. \u201cHe was a player I idolized growing up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m in shock every day,\u201d he added. \u201cAnd the people who know me growing up are also in shock. I try to include a lot of my friends in these adventures. It\u2019s a lot of fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

More than hockey \u2014 a cultural identity<\/p>\n

For Peetush, the Canadiens represent more than sport. They sit inside a larger cultural identity.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a huge cultural aspect,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m born here, born and raised in Quebec. I\u2019m bilingual, so I\u2019m a Quebecer.\u201d<\/p>\n

He describes the team as deeply woven into the province\u2019s identity.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s intertwined into the cultural aspect of Quebec,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s a religious aspect \u2014 the team has become such a religion here. It\u2019s the heartbeat of the city, the heartbeat of the province.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Inside the HabsCave, a basement built and curated by superfan Sunil Peetush filled with Montreal Canadiens memorabilia, is seen on May 13, 2026. (CityNews)<\/p>\n

When the team performs well, he says, the entire city shifts.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou feel it when the team is doing well,\u201d he said. \u201cEverybody\u2019s more upbeat\u2026 It\u2019s so intertwined in the pulse of the city.\u201d<\/p>\n

From basement to Bell Centre: the city comes alive<\/p>\n

For Peetush, the experience extends far beyond his basement. It continues inside the Bell Centre \u2014 and across the city itself.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been lucky enough in my life to go to two Stanley Cup parades in \u201986 and \u201993,\u201d he said. \u201cBoth are incredible, and I hold great memories of those Stanley Cup runs.\u201d<\/p>\n

But what he sees today feels different.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis time is different because I\u2019m surrounded by younger people who\u2019ve never experienced any of those,\u201d he said. \u201cTo them, it\u2019s all new.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Inside the HabsCave, a basement built and curated by superfan Sunil Peetush filled with Montreal Canadiens memorabilia, is seen on May 13, 2026. (CityNews)<\/p>\n

Game nights now extend far beyond the arena walls.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s 30 to 40,000 people outside watching the game while there\u2019s 21,000 inside,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Even before fans reach downtown, the atmosphere builds.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m 45 minutes outside downtown and there\u2019s electricity in the air,\u201d he said. \u201cYou see the car flags, the house flags.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Inside the HabsCave, a basement built and curated by superfan Sunil Peetush filled with Montreal Canadiens memorabilia, is seen on May 13, 2026. (CityNews)<\/p>\n

As they approach the arena, the energy intensifies.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce you hit Avenue des Canadiens, it hits you \u2014 everyone\u2019s wearing a jersey. It\u2019s electric.\u201d<\/p>\n

Inside, the experience becomes something else entirely.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen they start playing that music and that torch comes in, it\u2019s insane,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s like going to church. You\u2019re going to church tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pressure, emotion, and belief<\/p>\n

That intensity comes with emotional weight.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe stress is that when you get a taste, you really want them to go far,\u201d he said. \u201cWe live and breathe through this team.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery minute is stressful,\u201d he added. \u201cWe\u2019re either cheering or clutching our hats.\u201d<\/p>\n

But he says that tension is part of the experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what adds to the drama,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s why we watch sports.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fans are the sixth player<\/p>\n

For Peetush, fans are not observers \u2014 they are part of the game itself.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are the sixth player out there,\u201d he said. \u201cThe energy that we bring affects the players.\u201d<\/p>\n

He believes the relationship between the team and the city is reciprocal.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve had the opportunity to talk to former players,\u201d he said. \u201cIt makes a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Inside the HabsCave, a basement built and curated by superfan Sunil Peetush filled with Montreal Canadiens memorabilia, is seen on May 13, 2026. (CityNews)<\/p>\n

That belief shapes how he views fandom.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet out there, cheer, buy a flag, put it on your car,\u201d he said. \u201cJust have fun and enjoy it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Because nothing is guaranteed.<\/p>\n

\u201cGetting into the playoffs is such a privilege,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

And when it happens, he says, the entire city transforms.<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\tInside the HabsCave, a basement built and curated by superfan Sunil Peetush filled with Montreal Canadiens memorabilia, is seen on May 13, 2026. (CityNews) <\/p>\n

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