Ginette Reno Reflects on Canadiens’ Offer of Lifetime Tickets

Legendary singer Ginette Reno captured the spotlight as the guest of honor on the season finale of En direct de l’univers last night, sharing a fascinating anecdote from her past. Back in 1968, during the inauguration of the new Forum, Reno sang the national anthem alongside Paul Anka. In a gesture of appreciation, the Montreal Canadiens offered her a pair of lifetime tickets, an opportunity she ultimately declined.

Reflecting on that moment, Reno remarked, “It’s funny to think that the singer could have had tickets to the Canadiens’ most glorious decade, but she passed on them.” Her admission that she would accept the offer today underscores the renewed excitement surrounding the current iteration of the Canadiens.

At 80 years old, Reno appeared to be in good spirits during her appearance, although she candidly noted her health isn’t what it used to be. In a recent interview with 7 Jours magazine, she acknowledged that her days of singing the national anthem at Canadiens games are likely behind her. However, she fondly recalled her past performances, particularly during the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs when she sang the anthems in a pivotal second-round matchup against the Boston Bruins.

During that game on April 22, 2014, after her performance, she shook hands with Daniel Briere, who went on to score moments later. Reno returned to the ice in 2017 for a series against the New York Rangers, although the Canadiens were eliminated in the first round.

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Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.