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It’s clear that P.K. Subban is heartbroken by the trade Montreal Canadiens’ general manager Marc Bergevin made. If it wasn’t evident enough, he took the opportunity to clear the air about how he truly feels
when he sat down with Eric Engels of Sportsnet in a two-part interview.
Engels began by asking Subban about what he’d like to say. The latter was relieved to “…finally be back in Montreal”, having returned from his vacation in Europe only a short few days ago. A visibly emotional Subban who nevertheless maintained his swagger throughout the interview opened up about his undying and unconditional love for not only the city of Montreal but for its fan base as well. This would mark his first television appearance since he was told to pack his bags for Nashville, TN.
It feels good to be back in Montreal… I felt like it was just a good opportunity now to… be able to talk to my fans, and to people that I’ve connected with over the past- I mean, since really, the day that I was drafted in 2007. I’m probably luckier than every player in the National Hockey League. The connection that I have with the fan base and the community here is unspeakable, really, and that’s why I’m able to maintain the relationship with the city of Monrtreal and the province of Quebec because they’ve treated me and my family so well since I’ve been here.
I love Montreal. I’ve always loved the city and when it comes down to it, I never envisioned myself playing for any other team than the Montreal Canadiens
Subban’s absolute love for Montreal has never been questioned, and he can rest easy knowing that reciprocity is what has driven countless fans to lose faith in Bergevin and the rest of the Habs’ brass. According to a recent survey conducted by The Hockey News, the Canadiens are listed as the 29th -ranked team which a franchise’s respective fan base has confidence in:
(Funny- just a few months ago,
I called the organization out on its complacency and questionable secretive public relations strategies.
Now, I can’t help but commend the work that Bergevin has done in making this team better.
I even wrote a letter of apology to the GM, highlighting how I believe he has done so over the past few weeks alone.
Yet, I seem to be one of the rare few who’s actually convinced…)
What hurts Subban the most is not that he’ll no longer be in the limelight; he’s the perfect fit for a Nashville team that will gladly allow him to be who he is on and off the ice. A man of his word, he’s disappointed that he won’t live up to the promise he made to everyone:
The sad thing is that my promise to the city of bringing a Stanley Cup back and wanting to win one, I won’t be able to fulfill that promise. This is a business. We can’t forget that. I always looked at it that way- that I could very well be traded, like anybody else on the team. I just tried to work as hard as I could on the ice not to make that happen.
He added:
Since the day I was drafted, I saw the opportunity to be like other great leaders and champions of this organization; before anything, to raise a Stanley Cup and to have my opportunity to see my jersey in the rafters with the other great Montreal Canadiens. My ultimate goal was to win a Stanley Cup here, and that’s not going to happen.
When asked about whether Geoff Molson, Michel Therrien or Bergevin ever thanked him outright for the way he conducted himself on the ice, Subban clarified that they never had a conversation about what the media ever had to say. You’ll notice that during his response, he never explicitly said “yes”, but instead turned his attention to a more important fact:
My mentality is, I’ve never been the guy that always has to be the center of attention or has to be the front guy. I have no problem doing my job and somebody else getting the credit or, you know, the attention being on somebody else. There were times where I wish that there was more attention on my teammates but I can’t help what the media decides to do to write their stories.
Engels proceeded to recapitulate what Bergevin stated when he declared that he made this hockey team better thanks to that trade. As soon as Subban heard those words at around the 4:42 mark of the clip, he nervously reached for his empty glass of water to take a sip. At that very moment, his heart must’ve sank and his pride was surely shaken in disbelief that his former GM could say such a thing:
Any mistake that I’ve ever made in Montreal, I’ve taken full responsibility for it.
I know I’m not perfect, but, at the end of the day, you have to be willing to take the heat
And regarding why he chose to donate to the Montreal Children’s Hospital and if any of the supposed political reasonings behind it hold true:
When I made that donation, I didn’t think I’d be taking heat on anything that had anything to do with that… I mean, to hear those things, I … Don’t feel that I need to define my reasons for wanting to help people. People should want to help people. They shouldn’t be looking to write a story about why somebody wants to help somebody. Why don’t you just shut up and help?!
Finally, one of the things that I truly believe has been grossly overlooked and deliberately ignored by many is his relationship with Mrs. Elise Beliveau and her late husband Jean. He was evidently a huge part of her life and shouldered her immensely during her tragic loss. He offered his support and solidified himself nonetheless as a legend in Montreal, whether we’d all like to admit it or not.
Frankly, I’ve always kept my opinion of Subban to myself. I met him once downtown as I was walking home from university with my younger brother years ago, and he never stopped to give me the time of day even if I made it very clear that I’d love to say hi. He simply ignored me and walked past me, and that left a bad taste in my mouth. I saw him as an arrogant being, even if I always appreciated the sheer talent and skills of the player. During his interviews, I couldn’t help but sneer at his pompous personality.
Sadly, I fell prey to what the media had to say about him from the moment he made the jump to the Habs’ roster in 2010. Year after year, he gained more and more haters despite the fact that, admittedly, he was working exceptionally hard to better his attitude and overall maturity. He somehow never managed to silence his critics.
I never explained how I truly felt, knowing that I would no longer get to see him in a Habs’ jersey. Instead, I focused on the big picture, acknowledging just how important Shea Weber and the other additions will be to the team.
Upon watching the last minute of the interview, I couldn’t help but feel sad for Subban and for Mrs. Beliveau. I understood that showmanship aside, losing him is going to affect the culture of the team in ways that cannot be quantified.
The rest of Engels’ interview airs in less than half an hour. Stay tuned for part 2.
(All quotes are a courtesy of Sportsnet.ca) 
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