P.K. Subban to wear special Winter Classic skates

Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban will wear personalized skates against the Boston Bruins at the 2016 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic on Jan. 1 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., and then raffle them for charity.

The special Winter Classic skates will have Subban's No. 76 on the sides, and the pump near the top of the skate will have a No. 4 on it to commemorate Canadiens legend Jean Beliveau, who died last year. Subban and Beliveau became close before Beliveau's death.

Subban said about eight pairs will be made at the CCM-Reebok factory in St. Jean, Quebec.

One pair of skates will be part of a charity raffle put together by Subban and Boston Bruins defenseman Ray Bourque. They have teamed with Celebrities for Charity to offer a package that includes four tickets to the Winter Classic, a Canadiens jersey signed by Subban, a Bruins jersey autographed by Bourque, and a pair of Subban's game-worn skates.

Proceeds from the sale of raffle tickets will go to the Celebrities for Charity Foundation and P.K's Helping Hand, a fund dedicated to assisting families in financial peril because of a child's illness.

This is the latest charitable endeavor for Subban. In September, he made a $10 million donation to Montreal Children's Hospital; the hospital renamed its atrium in Subban's honor.

Subban also is a member of the Montreal Children's Hospital board of directors.