I have no doubt you have heard it. The media is obsessed with the concept that PK Subban was unpopular in the Canadiens room among his teammates. Many in the media continue to go with story to justify the departure of PK.
Where are they getting their info?
It's not coming from players. It's coming from coaches and management. Subtle "off the record" digs at PK strongly implying that the reason PK is gone is his own fault and a divisiveness that he created among his teammates.
If reporters hear enough "off the record" statements they draw conclusions...and those conclusions are then heard by other reporters who pass along as fact.
Since the trade I have talked to several players on the team and they were all telling me "off the record because they don't want to be the next out of town" how pissed they were at how this was being sold.
Not every player loves every one of their teammates...you probably don't get along with all of your co-workers the same way. But everyone knows the difference between "personality clashes" and professional respect. PK had the respect of everyone on his team and no more personality clashes than any other player has.
However, the Canadiens elite had the issues. The coach (and other "high ups" had huge issues.) The players know this and the way this story is coming out is really making them angry.
Despite the fact he couldn't play PK enough, Therrien rarely had his back with the media and Team Canada officials. Whether or not you like Therrien or his methods is inconsequential. The fact is PK Subban is in Nashville NOT because of his teammates in Montreal.
"Its completely ludicrous," one player texted me, "They don't need to be honest about why he is gone, that can be private, but to imply it was because of us? That has everyone in here really baffled."
Another player said to me over the weekend, "There is no teammate out there who would be in your corner more than PK. He treated many of his teammates as family. He would take the fall."
"Management is allowed to make these calls," another Hab noted, "We got a great player in return. All good. Why spread the lies about PK in the room? Why not just say we wanted more of what Shea brings? I am not saying Shea is better than PK, but I am saying they could have sold this a different way and been 100% above board."
"The only time PK would get in the face of one of the guys was when he felt that player wasn't leaving it all on the ice last year....but he wasn't the only leader trying to keep guys accountable. No one, no one in this room currently at least, takes that personally."
I will add this. Players rarely tell tales out of the room. The second I heard PK was being moved because of issues in his room I asked myself, "According to who?" You can almost bet 100% the media isn't going to talk to a player who will tell him something bad about a teammate on the way out the door and allow the writer to go with it. If a writer did go with something along those lines he would be blackballed by the whole room. Never underestimate the solidarity of the room.
I knew these accusations HAD to be coming from the Coaching staff, management, and/or executives. The players I talked to didn't even want to defend PK or go against the stories until they started to get out-of-hand.
The one who was actually brave enough to say something publicly was Dale Weise, who said on XM that even though he was no longer on the Habs he still took it personally. He noted that PK was a great friend to many players in that room and he couldn't imagine players, his former teammates saying that he was a problem.
That's about as far as a hockey player will come to saying this is BS. And that it's coming from somewhere beyond the room.
On Ben Bishop and Dallas...
The Lightning and Dallas are once again talking turkey.. The Lightning are running out of money and need to free up Cap space moving forward...I keep hearing the Stars are looking hard to move Niemi to a team along with a prospect to free up a spot. The Stars were a top team in the NHL last year and their window is NOW. Adding a Vezina finalist could be the final piece...
We will discuss all this and more on the podcast today at 1pm ET.
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