P.K. Subban is likely the most polarizing player in the NHL today. Fans either love him or hate him. He is revered at the Bell Centre and taunted in just about every other rink. P.K. burst onto the NHL scene during the 2010 NHL Playoffs and his confidence and swagger were often taken the wrong way and interpreted as cockiness. Worst yet, he was called out for having a lack of respect for veterans and the league (see: Mike Richards, Don Cherry). Hockey players are supposed to be humble and conservative, especially compared to other professional athletes. Speak to Subban and he has the ability to be humble yet flamboyant and full of life all at the same time. He has a personality and is not afraid to show it. Most importantly, he has the game to back it up. Few would have imagined when P.K. was drafted in the 2nd round of 2007 that he would go on to become one of the top 5 defenceman in the league.
Most knew of Subban’s offensive potential when he was drafted and watched him quarterback the Canadian National Junior Team to a gold medal in the 2009 tournament (in 2008 he won gold as the 7th defenceman). The question marks on Subban’s game were always on his commitment to defense. Under the guidance from then coach Jacques Martin and defence partners Hal Gill and Josh Gorges, Subban started to learn the appropriate times to jump in the rush and when to stay back. Subban improved from a -8 in 2010/2011 to a +9 in 2011/2012. In 2011 Subban said:
"You want to contribute but you have to put the team first. You want to do more and I know I can help the team offensively, but those opportunities will come. Right now, the team needs me to play solid defence because I'm capable of doing that. I like that. I like being solid in the (defensive) zone and having the coach throw me over the boards every shift. The coach has faith in me and that's more important than scoring two goals in a 6-2 loss."
When GM Marc Bergevin and Head Coach Michel Therrien arrived just before the lockout of 2012, the relationship with Subban got off to a rocky start at best. Coming off his rookie contract, Subban was looking for a substantial raise and a long term deal, rumoured to be in the 5 year, $5.5 million AAV range somewhat similar to Tyler Myers. Bergevin wanted Subban to sign a bridge deal like Carey Price and Max Pacioretty had done. After holding out through the first four games of the shortened season, Subban finally signed his 2 year bridge deal worth $5.75 million. For really the first time since Subban entered the league, he and Andrei Markov would be healthy at the same time and Therrien clearly preferred the play of Markov compared to young Subban. Therrien put an end to Subban’s and Price’s triple low five celebration, enforcing a team first mentality. Most notably, Subban’s average time on ice went down over a full minute, from 24:18 to 23:14. His shorthanded time also went down from an AV 2:36 to 1:27 a game however his powerplay time increased from an AV 3:29 to 4:42. Subban’s productivity increased from 14 powerplay points to 26 in just 42 games. These numbers would help him win the Norris trophy in the shortened season.
Despite Subban’s Norris trophy win, he remained a question mark as to whether or not he would make the Team Canada 2014 Olympic squad. With Right Defencemen Shea Weber, Drew Doughty and Alex Pietrangelo all seemingly locks to make the team and coach Mike Babcock’s preference for balanced RD & LD, it looked like Subban could be the odd man out. It also did not look good when Therrien refused to endorse Subban early in the 2013-2014 season famously saying:
“It’s not for me to say. I’m in charge of the Montreal Canadiens.…
One thing about Subban is that he is constantly dedicated to improving his play and getting better from game to game, not just year to year. Subban thrives on pressure and the more responsibility you give him, the more he he will raise the level of his game. By January of 2014 Therrien was singing a different tune:
“The way he's playing right now, Subban is making a great case for the Olympic team. We want him to go there."
While Subban made the Olympic Squad, he would only play one game in the tournament. By all accounts Subban took his benchings in stride and would act as a consummate pro, doing whatever was needed to help his teammates get ready for their next game. Despite making Subban a healthy scratch, Babcock had these kind words to say about Subban:
"I think he's a great kid. I didn't know him much, but tons of energy and he's going to continue to grow into a great, great pro. To me he was committed to being better. It's always hard as a high-end athlete anytime someone tells you that you can't play. But he was a great teammate and I enjoyed him a lot, and he was a big part of our team."
Perhaps this is one of Subban’s greatest strengths, the ability to take every experience and make it into a positive learning experience. Coming off of his Olympic experience, Subban would lead the Canadiens in the 2014 playoffs recording 14 points in 17 games while averaging 27:26 minutes a game. Subban rose to the occasion and would not let his teammates fail as he was the catalyst in the Canadiens comeback versus the Boston Bruins. Finally, Subban seemed to have the respect of his coach, teammates, opponents and fans despite the few who would make derogatory racist comments. Subban held his head high and needn’t defend himself as the majority of Bruins fans did it for him, berating the ignorant and standing up for Subban.
While another contract battle loomed in the Summer of 2014, it was clear that in this case Subban and agent Don Meehan would come out the winners. Eventually Bergevin would cave (under the instruction of owner Geoff Molson?), signing Subban to an 8 year $72 million dollar contract. However, Bergevin and Meehan were able to structure the deal in a way that would help Bergevin manage the salary cap in the early and late years of the contract. Most importantly, the contract proved how valuable Bergevin truly believes Subban is and that the Canadiens need him in order to win.
This past season was certainly Subban’s most complete and he was rewarded with another Norris trophy nomination. Subban recorded career highs in almost all major categories: Goals 15, Assists 45, Points 60, +21. Therrien and Subban’s relationship now seems to be at its best with both demonstrating mutual respect for one another. As well, Subban would earn shorthanded minutes averaging 2:09 a game and overall playing 26:12 minutes a game, his highest ever regular season average. Therrien would have the confidence to keep Subban on the ice in the last minute of a game with the win on the line. Finally, even Therrien acknowledges that Subban’s energy should not be contained:
“We go step by step. But one thing for sure is we don’t want him to lose his personality off the ice,… Therrien said. “He’s a fun guy to work with because we know where the potential is.…
And Subban in return on management:
“Since Marc Bergevin and (coach) Michel Therrien have taken over the team, my game has gone up. They’ve worked really hard to improve my game. When I first started playing for Michel three years ago, they said: ‘You’re a good player, but we want to make you an even better player.’ There’s been no shortage of them holding me accountable and that’s made me a better player.…
The NHL and media also woke up this year and realized the potential of marketing Subban. In this past season alone Subban would be featured on the cover of Canadian edition of Sports Illustrated, in the New Yorker as well as 60 Minutes. Subban is the perfect ambassador of hockey in the 21st century. He is involved in countless charities and events, active with his followers on Twitter and Instagram, and immersed himself as a big part of the community in Montreal. Occassionaly old habits though can still creep in. In game 1 of the playoffs against the Ottawa Senators Subban would give Mark Stone a hard slash earning himself a game misconduct and forcing the Canadiens to play with just five defencemen for over half of the game. A pep talk from Madame Elise Beliveau would help Subban focus his energy and raise his game for game 2. The true sign of Therrien’s confidence in Subban would be evident in game 6 against Ottawa. With his partner Andrei Markov struggling mightily, Subban would be on the ice the last minutes of the game with Tom Gilbert, doing whatever it took to ensure the Habs win.
While the league and its fans have come a long way in accepting Subban on and off the ice, he still remains just as polarizing as ever. Is he deserving of a 2nd Norris trophy? Was P.K. Subban the best defenceman in NHL this past year? Should he be the next captain of the Montreal Canadiens? Regarding the Norris trophy, I believe that Subban will win it by virtue of the amount of 2nd place place votes that he receives. He may not be everyone’s first choice but he will most likely be everyone’s 2nd. Karlsson will earn votes based on his offensive numbers which in reality were not that much better than Subban’s. Karlsson recorded 66 points to Subban’s 60 however Subban had 2 more powerplay and game winning goals each than Karlsson. Subban was also a +21 whereas Karlsson was +7. Doughty will receive votes for being defensively stronger than Subban and he did average well over 2 more minutes a game than Subban. However he only had 2 more blocked shots than Subban and Subban had 29 takeaways compared Doughty’s 12. Subban had the most complete season by a defenseman and there is an excellent chance that he will be rewarded with Norris #2. There is no doubt in my mind that Subban is and even better player and more deserving of this award in 2015 than in 2013.
As for the captaincy, there is no question that it is an honour that he would happily accept. Subban has the ability to lead and inspire teammates on and off the ice. He steps up when he is needed most and understands community involvement to a T. Yet questions of his maturity still remain when incidents like the Stone slash occurs. There is no doubt that the future success of the Canadiens will depend on him, almost as much as it does on Carey Price. The good thing for Canadiens fans is that Subban does not accept mediocrity and expects himself to constantly improve. If this was Subban’s best season, imagine what next year may hold...
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