not a pk fan or of his contract. however the market says the price should have been in the 8 mil range per year. if the flyers were to pay him this much to secure him for 8 years i would feel no different than i do now. had to pay what they had to pay to ensure he did not walk next year for nothing. guy is a top 10 dman in the league (mostly because of offensive output). Try naming 10 guys you would rather have them him on d. here is how i rank the top 10: weber, keith, karlson, suter, doughty, subban, pietrangelo, heidman, chara, seabrook
- MrPerfect316

The extra million/yr is part of the premium Habs always (or nearly so) have to shell out as compensation for the, by far, highest tax bracket in the NHL. If the Habs were in Texas, a 7.5 AAV would roughly net Subban more in pocket than his new deal in Montreal will.

- Flyfreaky

This pup looks a lot like ours, just a different coat and markings

This pup looks a lot like ours, just a different coat and markings
- lumlums

Have you checked on cup cakes?

He said Black guy in his post so yeah, racist.
- InYoFaceSukka

Why say it at all?

Have you checked on cup cakes?
- StargateSG1

Thankfully for me (and the dog!) I don't eat them

The extra million/yr is part of the premium Habs always (or nearly so) have to shell out as compensation for the, by far, highest tax bracket in the NHL. If the Habs were in Texas, a 7.5 AAV would roughly net Subban more in pocket than his new deal in Montreal will.
- Ovation

Commies

Hey Eklund why do you always say more to come and then you never actually write something more?

He's got a lot of potential for sure. Still needs to sort some things out but he has talent.

This is exactly how people viewed Phaneuf back in he day however.
- lumlums

It's also how they viewed Doughty

Commies
- rangerdanger94

we are

- Flyfreaky

good boy

I'll openly admit I think PK is over rated but it's a fair deal. Teams have to pay their star players if you want to keep them.

Comparing the Kane/Towes deals to PK's isn't comparing apples to apples. Every playoff/Stanley Cup contending team will have at least one 8 or 9mil dollar player on the team.

I'll openly admit I think PK is over rated but it's a fair deal. Teams have to pay their star players if you want to keep them.

Comparing the Kane/Towes deals to PK's isn't comparing apples to apples. Every playoff/Stanley Cup contending team will have at least one 8 or 9mil dollar player on the team.
- Pelle31Forever

Overrated? I am curious which NHL Dmen you think are better than him. I only put Weber, Doughty and Keith ahead of him. Even then he is more dynamic than Weber & Keith, and is a bigger game changer than either of them. Only player comparable to him is Karlson, and PK plays a much tougher game than him.

Overrated? I am curious which NHL Dmen you think are better than him. I only put Weber, Doughty and Keith ahead of him. Even then he is more dynamic than Weber & Keith, and is a bigger game changer than either of them. Only player comparable to him is Karlson, and PK plays a much tougher game than him.
- mushalain1

I like pk, he's a helluva talent, but cmon.

more dynamic than keith?? maybe cause u think it has something to do with montreal and how bonkers it goes there etc etc. but no, he isn't better than keith at any facet of the game. neither is he more of a game changer than keith.

as far as trying to define the word dynamic, I sorta think I might know where ur going with it. but it's pretty open to interpretation. yes, he is probably more a highlight reel skater than weber, but weber does a bunch of things much much better. weber shot is every bit as good, hes better defensively, more physical and is very strong offensively. how can u say hes not as much of game changer knowing all of these things? strong defensive play can and does absolutely change games.

the best defencemen in the game have to be considered at both ends of the ice. and while subbans defensive weaknesses are overstated (same with karlsson), he does have some serious flaws. both are certainly in the top 5 of best 'offensive' dmen, but there's more to the position than that.

he isn't a better defenceman than any of doughty, weber, keith, chara, suter.
but hes still young and isn't far off the top 5. but hes in that next echelon with mcdonagh, oel, hedman. and hes not unequivocally better than any of them either. I would personally take oel and mcdonagh over subban for sure. but it's debateable.

lets just take the glasses off for a sec, and be realistic. ur lucky to have subban, great player. but hes got a little ways to go before he gets that very top echelon. and id bet most reasonable fans outside of mtl would agree. in fact most reasonable fans In mtl would probably agree as well.

someone also mentioned for the thousandth time on hb that any montreal hate must come from the jealousy of their history.....

no.
does anyone under 35-40 have any envy of the cups they won when guy lafleur or rocket Richard played?? that was WAY before my time. I don't discount the rich history the habs have, but in many of our lifetimes, the habs have 1 or 2 cups in the last 20 - 30 years. and they haven't been anywhere near what could be considered an elite franchise for any period like Detroit, Colorado, Chicago have. Quite the opposite actually. they've been VERY ordinary and mediocre for stretches.

Id assume some of the dislike of mtl comes from many reasons, some not having anything to do with hockey (especially from western Canada). but that assumption of greatness, arrogance and supposed envy might be a big part of it. cause it just aint true for anyone younger than my dads generation

I like pk, he's a helluva talent, but cmon.

more dynamic than keith?? maybe cause u think it has something to do with montreal and how bonkers it goes there etc etc. but no, he isn't better than keith at any facet of the game. neither is he more of a game changer than keith.

as far as trying to define the word dynamic, I sorta think I might know where ur going with it. but it's pretty open to interpretation. yes, he is probably more a highlight reel skater than weber, but weber does a bunch of things much much better. weber shot is every bit as good, hes better defensively, more physical and is very strong offensively. how can u say hes not as much of game changer knowing all of these things? strong defensive play can and does absolutely change games.

the best defencemen in the game have to be considered at both ends of the ice. and while subbans defensive weaknesses are overstated (same with karlsson), he does have some serious flaws. both are certainly in the top 5 of best 'offensive' dmen, but there's more to the position than that.

he isn't a better defenceman than any of doughty, weber, keith, chara, suter.
but hes still young and isn't far off the top 5. but hes in that next echelon with mcdonagh, oel, hedman. and hes not unequivocally better than any of them either. I would personally take oel and mcdonagh over subban for sure. but it's debateable.

lets just take the glasses off for a sec, and be realistic. ur lucky to have subban, great player. but hes got a little ways to go before he gets that very top echelon. and id bet most reasonable fans outside of mtl would agree. in fact most reasonable fans In mtl would probably agree as well.
- hugefemale dog77

You make some good points. But also remember Subban is 25 years old....

Has for Suter, I don't get why he is so acclaimed. I understand he logs big minutes and is steady. But there is nothing elite or allstar like about his 5 goals and 15 assists for 20 points and -14 in 57 career playoff games. If you ask me thats just garbage for someone considered an "elite" dman.

You make some good points. But also remember Subban is 25 years old....

Has for Suter, I don't get why he is so acclaimed. I understand he logs big minutes and is steady. But there is nothing elite or allstar like about his 5 goals and 15 assists for 20 points and -14 in 57 career playoff games. If you ask me thats just garbage for someone considered an "elite" dman.
- mushalain1

I don't think pk has reached his ceiling. And I don't think him reaching an all around top 5 defender is impossible. he'll certainly get better defensively. time will tell.

as for suter;
he's so acclaimed cause the guy can play against the leagues best lines for 30+mins a night. all season long. and contribute at both ends. most of his playoff games he was the defensive conscience of the weber pairing. allowing weber to concentrate on offence.
in fact, id say he was probably the stronger of the two both ways.

plus minus is a useless stat. ur own pk subban was a minus player over 82 games this year. does this in any way show the importance of his contribution?
shea weber has also been a minus over the course of a season, and two different playoff runs.
him and suter basically carried an average Nashville team against far better opponents. and played ALL the tough minutes.

ryan suters contribution, smarts and overall play might not look to some as flashy and super apparent. but the guy is absolutely an elite dman. he literally has no real weaknesses. strong skater, fantastic iq, good stick, good first pass, good on the pp. etc.
if im down by a goal late in a game, no question id rather pk on the powerplay. in any other instance, id rather ryan suter.

I don't think pk has reached his ceiling. I don't think him reaching an all around top 5 defender is impossible. he'll certainly get better defensively I think. time will tell.

as for suter;
he's so acclaimed cause the guy can play against the leagues best lines for 30+mins a night. all season long. and contribute at both ends. most of his playoff games he was the defensive conscience of the weber pairing. allowing weber to concentrate on offence.
in fact, id say he was probably the stronger of the two both ways.

plus minus is a useless stat. ur own pk subban was a minus player over 82 games this year. does this in any way show the importance of his contribution?
shea weber has also been a minus over the course of a season, and two different playoff runs.
him and suter basically carried an average Nashville team against far better opponents. and played ALL the tough minutes.

ryan suters contribution, smarts and overall play might not look to some as flashy and super apparent. but the guy is absolutely an elite dman. he literally has no real weaknesses. strong skater, fantastic iq, good stick, good first pass, good on the pp. etc.
if im down by a goal late in a game, no question id rather pk on the powerplay. in any other instance, id rather ryan suter.
- hugefemale dog77

Excellent, Excellent post. Ryan Suter is the kind of guy you can put on the top line and pair him with a rookie and his defensive stats will still be solid. Can PK do that?

Excellent, Excellent post. Ryan Suter is the kind of guy you can put on the top line and pair him with a rookie and his defensive stats will still be solid. Can PK do that?
- Jeropotato

no but he has 30 points in 40 career playoff games while suter has 20 in 57. To each his own

no but he has 30 points in 40 career playoff games while suter has 20 in 57.
- mushalain1

PK is the better Offensive Defensman......Suter is the better all around D man IMO, and one of the guys I would trust most in this league in all situations.

PK is the better Offensive Defensman......Suter is the better all around D man IMO, and one of the guys I would trust most in this league in all situations.
- Jeropotato

Agreed. Hes so effing good.

no but he has 30 points in 40 career playoff games while suter has 20 in 57. To each his own
- mushalain1

Because scoring points is the main objective of a DEFENSEman, right? See, this is why I hate what the Norris trophy has become. The most offensive defenseman. Takes away from the whole purpose behind "best all around defenseman".

Not to mention, anyone who handles the puck as much as he does is going to score some points... odds are kinda in his favor when he says "screw my forwards, I'm going in alone"...

I'm just as happy as the Montreal fans that they signed him to ridiculous money. It means there's no chance he ends up in my city.

The Habs needed to lock him up. I get that, but he is not worth 9 mil/year.