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We take great pride in knowing our beloved city and province inside and out, but it doesn't mean we aren't surprised by new things from time to time.

For instance: we had no idea Montreal was a really dangerous place to be a left foot.

Just ask Brian Gionta's podiatrist. Or Hal Gill's, or Andrei Markov's (or short-track speed skater Francois-Louis Tremblay, for that matter).

Each of the three is suffering from a left foot injury that will keep them out for a lot longer than the Habs can afford to miss them.

And it's not like these guys are insensitive to the care and pampering of paws and hoofs - they're millionaires after all, so we bet there's more than one who has a favourite pedicure place.

Our guy Gio does this quirky thing when he tugs on his size 5s for practices and games, he jams a sponge on the top of each foot to ensure a better fit (they literally look like regular kitchen sponges - but because they're hockey accessories, they probably cost $30 each).

And over the past couple of weeks, he's put kevlar shields on the outside of his skates to ward off wayward pucks. It's a testament to Mike Cammalleri's shot that it wouldn't let a piddling little plastic shield get between it and Gionta's metatarsals.

So if last season was the year of the shoulder (Latendresse, Higgins, Komisarek, Tanguay) this is the year of the foot.

Quick, somebody get a Chinese calendar to tell us what it all means.

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