Jordan and Patrik Laine on loving the ‘timeless charm’ of Old Montreal

It’s not every day you get an exclusive sit-down with one of Montreal’s most impressive young power couples: mental health activist and wellness lifestyle influencer Jordan Leigh Laine and her husband, Montreal Canadiens forward Patrik Laine, both proud co-founders of their new support platform, From Us to You.

The couple relocated to the city when “Patty,” as Jordan affectionately calls him, joined the team in 2024. The conversation with these dynamic newlyweds and mental health advocates was equal parts engaging, entertaining and genuinely soul-replenishing.

From sharing cozy holiday traditions to giving back through their platform, the Laines are fostering a community built on connecting and sharing. For your enjoyment, here are a few of our favourite moments. A sincere thank you to the W Montreal for hosting us so graciously and so well.

Jenn: The holidays are a huge deal in both of your countries of origin, the United States for you, Jordan, and Finland for you, Pat. What are your favourite traditions, and how do you bring them to life in Montreal?

Jordan: I grew up with very big, cozy, American-style holidays. My family had a Christmas party every year at my grandpa’s horse farm, where we’d all come together and do a big dinner before opening gifts the next morning. Even in Montreal and during a very busy and demanding hockey season schedule, we try to have family around us as much as we can, whether that’s flying them in and going to the Atwater Christmas Market here in Montreal or meeting them in NYC for a Habs away game while seeing the Rockefeller Christmas Tree.

Patrik: In Finland, the holidays are much quieter. Like Jordan said, it’s all about being with the people you love. My sister brings little pieces of Finland here with her when she visits, like my favourite Finnish candies and Christmas advent calendars. And every year, my grandma makes us wool socks that she knits herself in her cottage home. We walk through Old Montreal with (our dog) Boogie, grab hot chocolate and decorate the apartment with both Finnish minimalism and American festive energy. It feels like our own little fusion of where we came from.

Truth be told, you both could have lived anywhere in the city, but chose Old Montreal. What is it about this hood that spoke to you and felt like home?

Jordan: Old Montreal has this timeless charm. It feels like Europe with the cobblestone streets, cafés, art, a little romance in the air. When we first walked through it, I remember thinking how much I loved feeling like we were right in the middle of Quebec’s unique culture. As a young couple new to the city, we wanted to be right in the heart of things. It’s historic but modern, elegant but lived in, which is kind of how we want our life to feel.

Patrik: I like that it’s quiet, but still close to everything. It’s not too far from Brossard, where we practice, and you can also feel the buzz on game days because we’re so close to the Bell Centre. We can walk almost anywhere, whether it’s getting Jordan’s morning coffees, dinners or taking Boogie along the water. It’s peaceful. It feels like a place where we can be right in the middle of the community.

Renowned for its foodie and celebratory culture, Montreal is a fiesta of great restaurants, supper clubs and social hubs. Can you share some of your most treasured spots?

Jordan: Oh my gosh, where do I even start? Montreal is unreal for food. We have a special place in our hearts for Micro Espresso, where I walk Boogie on my daily morning coffee walks. Mare, Spirulina and Gibbys for dinners. For wellness, I’ve been loving Tone by Shab Pilates studio, and they have private training there as well. And walking Boogie around the Old Port or Montreal Clock Tower Beach is one of our favourite evening rituals.

Patrik: I’m a simple guy, so give me a great steak and I’m happy. I like Moishes a lot for dinners, and I take Boogie down by the water almost every day. For workouts, the Canadiens trainers have us set up with good routines, but I love that Montreal has a really active culture. Everywhere you look, someone’s walking, biking or training.

Love is always in the air this time of year, but especially so in your orbit, having just come off a dream wedding. Can you talk to us a little about the wedding festivities and life as newlyweds?

Jordan: Our wedding truly felt like a dream. It was everything we hoped for, and it was intimate, emotional and elegant. The Breakers Palm Beach was the perfect place for our families to come together, with people coming from as far as Finland and Hawaii. Patty and I have very different styles, with mine being more classic and elegant and his more funky and wild. We tried to have things through the night that were nods to who we were and showed off our personalities. Things where you’d see it and say, “Patty definitely picked that out” (walking down the aisle to a string version of Titanium by Sia) or “this is very Jordan” (ice sculpture swans and an espresso martini ice luge).

Patrik: I agree. It feels like we’re in a great routine at home since the wedding ended. You think everything will change after the wedding, but it feels more like everything clicked into place. We’re just us. And we’re happy. All the things we used to talk about as being far off and someday are now real logistical questions with this new chapter of life, like when will we buy a house and when will we have kids?

Finally, I know mental health is deeply important to you both. Can you give us more background on your initiative From Us to You, how others might benefit, and how they can get involved?

Jordan: From Us to You was created after Patrik took a mental health break from hockey. We were overwhelmed by the positive messages from people saying his story gave them hope. It made us realize how many people feel alone in what they’re going through. So we wanted to create a space where mental health stories are shared and met with empathy and real support. Now, From Us to You features personal testimonials on everything from grief to anxiety to healing, and each story connects readers to real, accessible resources. We even have a partnership with BetterHelp that gives people access to a free month of online therapy.

We had a big year last year, and we’ve got more coming. We just launched our first collection of From Us to You merch just in time for Christmas, and we’re launching an ambassador program in early February to expand how people can get involved in their own communities.

I’ve actually been asked to create a workshop about my experiences with From Us to You for organizations looking for speakers, so I’ll start with some public speaking in early 2026 as well.

Patrik: It’s important to me because I know what it feels like to struggle in silence. If my experience can help someone else feel less alone, then it’s worth sharing. Winning the Sports Personality of the Year award from the Conseil du sport de Montréal meant a lot to us because it showed that this mission is making a real impact off the ice.

For more fun behind the scenes and video moments, head to @diaryofasocialgal on Instagram.

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