Cowan: Canadiens' Joe Veleno goes back to his elementary-school roots | Montreal Gazette Article
Joe Veleno and Kristina Provost were classmates from kindergarten through Grade 6 at East Hill Elementary School in Rivière-des-Prairies.
On Monday, they were reunited as the Canadiens forward visited the school he attended in Montreal’s East End to chat with students and teachers.
“My students, since the beginning of the year, have been talking about Joseph Veleno playing for the Canadiens, saying, ‘He’s my favourite player,’ ” Provost added. “So I sent him a letter — I’m not sure if he got it — to invite him here. So they’re very excited that he’s here now.”
Veleno is enjoying the Olympic break in the NHL schedule and spent last week in the Caribbean, soaking in some sunshine with a few of his Montreal friends and teammate Jakub Dobes. The Canadiens players not taking part in the Olympics will hold their first practice of the break at 3 p.m. Tuesday at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard. They don’t play again until Feb. 26, when the New York Islanders will visit the Bell Centre.
“We had time to relax and have some fun and take a little bit of time and rest our minds a little bit and our bodies from all the hockey we’ve been playing recently,” Veleno said. “With the travel and how hard an 82-game schedule is — especially when it’s really condensed — you play through a lot of bumps and bruises and sometimes injuries. From a mental standpoint, just not having to think about going to the rink or being on a tight schedule as much … it was nice to be free and do as you wish. I think it was much needed.”
