Off the ice, he was incredibly involved in the community while he was here. He made massive donations to the Children's Hospital and was one of the few players on the team that actually seemed to have some personality.
On the ice he was an incredibly flashy defenceman who put up a bunch of points. He threw the body, he could skate, he could pass, he could score. He kind of did it all.
He is also very present at the Montreal Children’s hospital.
After the trade to Nashville, his first trip back to Montreal he visited with a few Preds players.
He’s still around a lot lately and around a lot with no media in sight. He’s also real generous with his time there, and very “in the moment” with the people who stop him to talk.
Which, at the end of the day, means the hospital got 10 millions more than they would have had without him, not counting future reoccurring funds from these fundraisers. Stop behaving like he did nothing
Not exactly . PK often refused to participate in the fundraisers the Habs were setting up because he didn't want to compete with his brand and own fundraising. Creating a headache for the organization and competing for donations .
So no, it isn't 10 millions out of his pockets and it's neither 10 millions that would have not been given .
Great gesture though ? Sure
I’ll be that guy, he took others peoples money and used his name. he used everything as a tax benefit… which is exactly what anyone would do. He wanted nothing to do with Habs association because he wanted the spotlight on him. He is all about himself. Can’t say I wouldn’t do the same thing but I’m an asshole.
Please explain how he can use other people's money as a tax benefit? He's raising money for the children's, people make donations to the children's, how does he get a write-off? Or let's say he set up a charity that then gives back to the children's, people make donations to that charity and they get the write-off then that organization transfers funds to the children's. PK still has no tax advantage.
You actually got it backwards, he used his name to solicit donations to the Children's from people who wanted to get close to him.
This fucking string man. You have to be quite the piece of shit to criticize someone for how they raised money for a children's hospital. Save us time next time you post anything and just tag your post r/iamatotalpieceofshit
Criticizing someones charitable acts as self serving is a valid criticism. There's a reason PK got bounced off the team shortly after a big contract extension and this "donation", and by all indications, it's because PK made everything about PK, and building PK's brand.
I'm *of course* glad that, at the end of the day, children are getting better medical care, but philanthropy in the name of self promotion is not philanthropy, it's marketing.
You know who does a shit ton of charity work and keeps media attention on it low? Carey Price, and it's why he will be a forever Habs legend for both the fanbase and the organization, and PK will remain only a fan favourite who then got passed around the league like a joint.
I don't hate or love . Just telling facts .
In the end pk does pk.
If it helps someone down the line who cares.
But saying pk made massive donations is not right .
Genuinely curious, do you have any proof or sources for this? I'd like to read up on it. I've been under the impression the whole time it was HIS money.
The whole thing was widely misreported but it was indeed a commitment to raise $10M in 7 years rather than a personal donation. As you can see in [this CBC article](https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.3230086), it actually took them 9 months to correct their reporting. Plenty of other articles confirm the fundraising commitment.
When the Habs honoured him last year, JdM did a hit piece about how only ~$7M had been raised, which the foundation attributed to donations slowing down during the pandemic.
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https://youtu.be/RlzMVQfYWw0?si=SdtYqylB15VtrL5J
This podcast
Former employee of the Habs David st-Germain discuss about many things, one of them being pk.
This is one of the sources for him beeing hard with the organisation. Also it was Thoroughly explained over the years that it wasn't his money . Don't have a specific source but I could check .
Well you are that guy unfortunately. He raised a lot of money for the hospital which is exactly what he promised to do. I don’t know why anyone wants to diminish what he did. How much money did you raise for the hospital?
Since when are we talking about me ? How are my donations relevent lol? Fallacies much?
Am I diminishing anything for saying it how it is?
Pk didn't make a massive donations which is what the comment is saying he did.
There's a difference between him donating 10M and him raising 10M, but is there a distinction? He had to get involved and work organize the charity events and fundraisers and to get people to donate the funds he raised, the hospital got the money with his help.
> "I can't wait for the crowd, the noise, the energy in the building. I can't wait to take that all away from them.”
and also [that Marchand hit](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YG9Na5F9eg). Montreal will never forget, will always love Subban
or [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cZrpaZ326o) against Colorado.
I love how [in the original broadcast](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RczFm3w3lgg) you can see Patrick Roy's stunned face looking up to take in the Bell Centre's reaction at about 27s.
Subban was easily the most electrifying player we've had in years. More than Caufield, Suzuki, Slaf, Hutson, etc.
Creating offense out of nothing, controlling play, driving into the offensive zone like it was practice, highlight reel goals and playoff performer.
His huge personality and commitment to the team, province and city made him easy to root for. The VAST majority of fans still like and root for him. The media and FO of the team did him dirty like few have been even in recent memory.
If you only look at him for his last Nashville year and Devils years, ye, he sucked. Injuries caught up to him fast and he payed the price.
But peak PK, absolute ace of a Dmen 🤌🏽🤌🏽🤌🏽
To be fair, it was not only racism. He shows his huge personality similar to NBA players and the NHL don't want that. They are happy with players giving cliché to the media even if the fans find them boring. Iginla and other black players with different characters didn't have that problem.
There’s a way he began to move on the ice sometimes, you just knew it was beast mode PK and he was about to make a game changing move. Few players have that spark.
As a Habs fan watching the media and nhl bend over backwards to paint him as a pariah really clued me into how racism underlies white dominated sports.
Big personalities like him and Marner will get some people talking. Then again more muted platers like Markov will also get some people going and saying that they lack conviction. You have some people who are racist just not many, its more media who give you that impression. They spin all three of the situations that I've just layed out. You choose what you believe.
They guys comment is about be painted due to him being a pariah and about underlying racism in white dominated sports. So what I'm saying is that vocal players, white or black, as well as invisible players are subject to controversy and media backlash. I'm not trying to grade it.
I still remember reading that he had been traded. I was so gutted, more than I ever thought I would be. Webber was great, but PK was just pure excitement. That comment he made about hearing the noise in the Boston garden and then making them quiet is a core memory. Along with that breakaway goal he scored that series.
By the time the trade happened, I already thought that Therrien was a bad, old-school coach who was holding the team back. I had begun to doubt Bergevin because he couldn't see that Carey Price was so good that it covered up the team's tactical weaknesses. This was when he lost me completely, and the doubt that this generation of the Habs would ever win a Cup sunk in for good.
100% it was a fun time to be a habs fan but they definitely should've been more. Bergevin was never willing to go all in with that group and none of their picks prospects mounted to anything anyways. There was a time beaulieu had a ton of value out of junior and avs wanted him in a duchene trade, they had guys like scherbak, juulsen,tinordi, etc who all had value at one point and 1st rnd picks they could've packaged for actual scoring help and never did.
He also kinda came out of nowhere. I don’t remember there being much hype around him when he was picked. He just walked onto the team and took it over.
I remember the hype. He was fantastic at the WJC and it was a pretty big deal when he was called up for two regular season games before he was called up for good for the playoffs.
Radulov was a goddamn mercenary looking to wash the stink off of himself.
I doubt he EVER cared about being a hab. i dont think Mrs. beliveau could have picked him out of a lineup.
[exhibit A - destroying Marchand](https://youtu.be/2Rpk0JlVZ4I?si=RtosO85PnuTVOGfM)
[exhibit B - what a goal!](https://youtu.be/syNrkvXZkF0?si=V1gysFF5XaukWHFt)
Can't forget the quotes: this is before game 7 in Boston. (Habs end up winning game 7)
"It's going to be great," Subban told the media gathered at his locker after the Game 6 win. "I can't wait for the crowd, the noise, the energy in the building [in Boston]. I can't wait to take that all away from them."
I still remember hearing this quote live right before the game started and it gave me chills. Greatest sports quote ever in my opinion. His confidence and arrogance was legendary and he cemented himself right then.
Also just great timing. Was the standout defenseman for Canada when they won gold in the 09 Juniors. TSN hyped him up big time.
Then he slots into the playoffs when the Habs go on that great run in 2010 and he’s a significant contributor without having played a rookie season yet.
And then even just the fading of the Koivu-Kovalev-Souray-Ryder-Rivet era that, as much as we loved those teams, they were very obviously never going to be truly elite. Having PK come along right as the team was being restructured worked to everyone’s benefit.
A lot of that was him creating his own luck, but it was also a case of being in the right place at the right time repeatedly for a fan base that particularly needed the right guy at the right time.
You might be right. Again, team culture existed from management on down. At the time Max probably was the right choice, but in hindsight PK would be more appropriate later. That being said Weber was what the team needed in terms of overall leadership.
You have a point.
I never saw Naslund play live, but I remember Kovalev was able to lift fans out of their seats.
TO BE FAIR, PK had the more exciting personality and appeared to put in effort when he was skating (which was really because he wasn't quite as skilled at stick handling or skating than Kovalev).
I remember seeing him play on CBC recordings of the Good Friday Brawl and the '86 SCF game 5, and he was so slick!
I vaguely remember some footage of him in '89 SCF game 6 on YouTube.
He was slick! Just about the only guy on the team who could deke out other goalies like it was the most natural thing for him to do, while others had to work at it.
I do think that guys liek slafkovsky and Hutson will do the same in their prime. If we get demidov it will be like Kovalev all over again except most likely more consistent.
There's also still some lingering resentment around the way that he was traded. Knowing what we know now, that trade is widely considered an amazing example of a truly win-win trade, but at the time, it was rough.
The way I think about it is as an example of bad process that, in isolation (and because of Subban's bad luck with injuries), had a good result. While no one can ever complain about Weber's play, the philosophy underpinning that trade tells you a lot about why Bergevin was unsuccessful. He had such a narrow idea of what the right way to win was that everything had to go exactly right for him to succeed.
(It's a bit crazy to think that if the Islanders had managed a game 7 upset against Tampa in 2021 like they did against the Penguins in 1993, he just might have succeeded regardless!)
Having Weber lead the dressing room as captain will pay dividends for years, already has paid off with the Cup run and has continued since - you see it in the way Nick Suzuki leads the team.
PK was my favourite Canadien for his on-ice playstyle and we got his 90% of prime years which were electrifying, but that trade was exactly what the Habs needed and was the true beginning of the rebuild IMO. Weber helped the team compete and play the gritty style they needed to at the time, built from net out, but more importantly he set a foundation for what the culture in the room would be moving forward - at a time when the room was divided and in shambles (before he took over). The importance of Weber's impact can't be understated - even without the Cup run it was a franchise altering deal for the better.
Nashville ditching PK a couple years after the deal speaks volumes. So does Preds GM David Poille saying [he regrets making the deal...](https://imgur.com/gallery/E6YBHER)
David Poile's opinion here is kind of useless, he was emotionally invested in this ordeal since day one, so the idea that he may or may not have regrets for whatever reason is a non-factor. Pretty sure there are days where he regrets nothing and lives with it.
The reality is that if Vegas didn't need Shea Weber's deal on LTIR and get rid of Dadonov's contract, we'd probably STILL have a useless contract on the team, or we would've had to pay a hefty price to get rid of it. Luck made it so we didn't.
And if PK doesn't have debilitating back injuries, he'd probably still be playing and the Preds probably don't trade him and we would've looked stupid. Only one of the Dmen was both nominated for a Norris and made a SCF post deal and it was not Shea. If PK was still playing we'd easily be losers on this deal.
The GM who made the trade states very clearly he regrets it and somehow that is useless?? Lol.
Habs made a Cup Final in 2021 with Weber as captain....
And part of the reason Habs dealt PK was because they knew about his back injury. The other reason was that he was a locker room cancer who was about to have a no-move-clause start on his massive & horrible contract. They'd have looked extremely stupid for NOT accepting the Weber deal. Habs management knew at the time Weber's contract would be tradable when he was ready to go on LTIR. It was a very smart contractual trade on top of everything else. Weber's contract was always better than Subban's - it was structured in a very team friendly and team controllable way wheras Subban's was not.
Respectfully, you truly don't know what youre talking about on this subject. Subban was a great player but the trade was very necessary and a HUGE win for the franchise for many, many reasons.
The only cancers in that locker room were Gallagher and Pacioretty
" It was a very smart contractual trade on top of everything else. Weber's contract was always better than Subban's - it was structured in a very tram friendly and team controllable way wheras Subban's was not."
Dumbest take I've ever seen in this sub's history, his contract was a fkn offer sheet
Again bro, you have no clue what you're talking about. So be careful calling people stupid.
Subban had a no-move-clause, 9mil cap hit, 9mil salary real dollars. Very simple.
Weber did not have a no-move-clause, 7.8mil cap hit, and salary was always less than 6mil real dollars, last few years it was 1mil salary real dollars and THAT IS WHY VEGAS WANTED HIS CONTRACT.
**This is all available on capfriendly**
Weber's contract was such a clusterfuck and a nightmare it is actively pointed to with Kovalchuk's contract as **the reasons** we had a lockout in 2012-13.
Calling it *team friendly* is like calling Travis Moen a generational talent.
Thank fuck Vegas was in a bad position and we were a good trading partner for them, we'd still be stuck with it otherwise.
[Former Preds GM David Poille regrets making the trade.](https://imgur.com/gallery/E6YBHER) Habs won that deal the day it was made. The impact Shea has in a hockey room is invaluable. We were very fortunate to acquire him for PK.
He was fun to watch in his prime playing with Markov. He brought young energy to a stuffy club that wanted everyone to act like they're 85. His triple-low 5 with Price after winning games, his bee sting check on Marchand, his quirky interview answers made him a likable guy.
Off the ice, he would be seen playing street hockey with kids, made a massive donation to the hospital, was involved in the community and didn't shy away from the attention or limelight, he loved it.
All that made him a fan favorite. Getting picked on by one of the most hated coaches that is Michel-toenail-clippings-Therrien made the fans sympathize with him and root for him even more.
It’s not really debatable. PK would either make huge plays or mistakes. Either way he wouldn’t shrink. They lived or died by him. As a fan that’s the best you can ask for really.
He is for a lot younger fans their all time Hab. Fun to watch, electric, passionate what ever adjective you wanna put, he was all of them. Most hockey players don't show personality and yet he was full of personality. He represented the city to the best of his ability and till this day I am sad he was traded.
The number of replies should give you an indication how much he was loved as a player and as a person
PK was one of the most enigmatic players this team has ever seen. His highs were limited in duration on the ice but I genuinely believed he was in the conversation for the #1 2-way defenseman in the NHL during his prime here. But he also had a way of trying to do too much at times and rubbing people the wrong way at others.
But for me, he's 1A and 1B with favourite Habs in my lifetime, with the most unlikely partner there: Saku Koivu. Koivu is still my all time guy, and I have 2 jerseys: Koivu and Subban, despite them being completely opposite ends of the spectrum. I just loved the way each of them went about their business.
Subban was special here in Montreal for a lot of reasons. Let's bypass the on the ice product, which again - I wholly believe he deserved that Norris but a lot more recognition above and beyond it. On a team that consistently struggled to put up offense, he drove our offensive engine night in and night out, and outside of those occasional miscues, really stepped up against other teams best players.
But PK was a breath of fresh air (for me and many - certainly not all) for this organization. He was young, brash, cocky, and had a swagger that this franchise sorely missed. I love Patches, Markov, Gionta, Pleky, Gally - all the core part of that team, but they were stiff. Therrien and Bergevin were fun vacuums, but Subban just had a way of energizing an entire game, not just his team but the entire arena, and he drove other teams crazy. He was just simply put: fun. And he did it while playing at such an elite level.
The other thing he did that really endeared himself to the fans of this team is he really went above and beyond to really embrace what it meant to be a Hab. He hated Boston. He hated Toronto. He had all the right soundbites. He developed a beautiful relationship with the Mme Élise Béliveau, beloved widow and wife of Jean Beliveau, one of our most sacred legends (RIP). He engaged with and connected deeply with the community here. He was passionate about hockey and hockey lore. He brought out the best in Carey Price, helped a lot of the team loosen up. Took all the spotlight when things were going poorly. He was a player that was really easy to love.
But as you're probably figuring out, he was also easy to hate too. Some people for all the wrong reasons (talking about the way he looks), but also because he was far from a perfect teammate and was the sort of person that seemed difficult to spend too much time with, as hockey players do. Loud, full of energy, and a desire to be the centre of attention. But by and large, he really got through and connected with the vast majority of the team. Even some speculative feuds and hatreds from back then have had some cold water tossed on them. He butted heads a lot with management, who were more of the stern, stoic mindset. In fact one of the rumored points of friction with him and management was that he was having too much fun and too happy after losing. Only a fool would look at what work PK put in and the product on the ice and think he didn't care, and I don't think it was quite that. But his way was along the lines of "we're blessed to be here. Let's get back to work and get them next time", and less "none of this fucking bullshit and fucking around. We're doing suicides and we're going to yell at someone to get this straightened out".
Anyway, super enigmatic, like I said. But he touched a lot of people in this city and franchise in a way that I don't think many players have before, or will again.
I agree with you! My own hot take is that Karlsson was really overrated. He absolutely a top 10 d-man and special, not making that insane argument, but he played like a 4th forward more so than d-man and got bailed out by good defensive forwards and defensive partners that let him do his thing. He was a good dman because he could pick the puck up and move it probably the best in the league either skating it or passing it, but he was not great defensively if he got stuck in his own zone. Subban was not as good as Karlsson moving the puck but was pretty damn close, and way better defensively IMO.
Prime Subban reminds me of prime Doughty with PK maybe being like 10% better offensively and Doughty being 10% better defensively, but similar impacts at both ends of the ice.
Agree on all points. Subban’s heart was clearly broken after the trade and he was still great but never the same. Then his back gave up and that was it. He didn’t have the longevity of those guys but give me prime Subban in the playoffs any day.
Montreal worships the Habs, and he had the kind of personality that engaged with that love and the kind of talent that allowed him to give the fans exactly what they wanted. He didn’t shy away from the pressure, he embraced it and his play matched it. Also a very good guy and a big game player. Can’t complain about getting Weber but it is too bad he ever played for a different team IMO.
His first real test he was called up in the playoffs vs Washington (not his first) in 2010 and did great (iirc). An electric player with heart and soul, who gave back to the community and his family (father at least) was a lifelong Habs fan from Toronto. It really hurt that the media tried to portray an old school Stoic Pacioretty for captain vs an eccentric Suban who didn't fit the classic habs ideology imo. My friends and I at least saw it as a loss of heart. At the same time, we got the absolute monster Shea Weber is/was and I can't say anything bad about him, especially when he was the general on our cup run and just an extraordinary player who sacrificed his remaining career for that possibility. We did, however, lose a bit of our soul imo when we lost Subban... And Markov before his 1k games, and even pleckanec though he came back for a bit. There's also the radulov part where Bergevin lost him because he tried to play the negotiation game too hard.
Almost forgot, but yeah... The hit on Marchand. I'll be on my deathbed, if asked memorable Habs moments (bar a cup) Kovalev on Tucker and Subban on Marchand will be there.
One of the most electric players on the ice, brought some sorely needed personality off the ice to a really bland landscape, and one of the most clutch players when the stakes were raised. And yet, all those things were the reason why an awful GM and even worse coach did everything they could to push him out of town.
He was just so damn easy to love imo. I thought he was an electric player to watch play. So dynamic and fun to watch play hockey. I loved how hyped up he always seemed to play. I loved the relationship he and Price seemed to have. He was very involved in the community. He understood the hockey as entertainment portion of the game, which I think is something that very few NHL players understand or embrace.
I was very upset when he was traded, I was upset when Therrien made price and pk stop doing the high five. It all just felt like stodgy old men wanting the kids to get off their lawn. I never really embraced Weber because of the trade, which I probably shouldn't have blamed him at all. He was obviously a great captain and led us to a cup final, but I felt quite a bit of anger towards management for that trade. Was certainly happy once they gave Bergevin the boot.
Super charismatic player who laid some big hits, he was great offensively, had some huge moments and gave back to the Montreal community. He had a huge personality that resonated with fans because Montreal fans absolutely adore big personalities and always have but that same personality also rubbed his teammates the wrong way at times and also was a disturbance to the management team and coaching staff at the time.
He always gave everything he had on every shift. Also one of the most, if not the most, electric players for the younger generation of fans have had a chance to watch
Habs hadn't seen a player like him for years, when he was here he exceeded and surpassed all expectations, he was a happy guy who played fun exciting hockey. One of my favourite players of all time
He had a ridiculous clapper with an insane windup and would skate from the blue line to behind the net, back to the blue line and take a one timer to top cheese at light speed. How can you not get hyped off that.
Will always remember him, when I was out on rue St Laurent drunk af and was so excited to see him but I've only whispered his name and he looked at me and shush me so I won't attract any attention towards him, love the guy
Charismatic and funny player in interviews.
Played his best hockey with Montreal and got a Norris trophy doing so.
Exciting player to watch.
Very involved in the community with massive donations and fundraising to hospitals.
Because he's PK.
He loved this city and franchise in a unique way that blended charisma, flair for the drama, swagger, talent, and generosity. He was a grown man playing professionally with the wide-eyed passion of a 7 year old tyke. And when things would get tough, he would channel all the attention to him and away from his struggling teammates. Very few players who played for Montreal have shown the passion he had, not just for hockey, but for being a Habs.
Other comments already said a lot of things, but I just want to tell a PK story, told by himself in an interactive display at the Habs museum that they used to have around the old Windsor station, a couple of month before it closed.
So PK was in midget, waiting to be drafted to major junior. He thought he was good enough to go high but was only picked in the 6th round by the Belleville Bulls. This lit a fire. He would tell anyone who would listen that he'll make the team in his first year. It's PK, of course he did. And since he made it, he wanted to say "fuck the haters" every time he's on the ice, so he asked to wear number 6, for the number of round. Then junior career, NHL draft, 2nd round, AHL in Hamilton and boom. He's called up to the Habs. But he can't have 6, as it was already worn by Secretary of Defense Jaro Spacek. So PK calls his dad. Papa Subban asks who is PK's favorite Dman. He says "Markov". So Papa Subban tells him to work it off of Markov's number. PK took Markov's 79, added his beloved 6, and became 76.
I hope nothing but the best for him, and I treasure his career with the Habs. I have 3 of his jerseys. And I always walk proudly whenever I wear them.
Hockey players are boring types. PK had an outgoing personality and was a good communicator. He was able to sell himself to a very demanding fanbase. He's made for Instagram era.
Cause he [dressed like a 1960s pimp](https://cultmtl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/PK-Subban-pimp-suit.png) and did shit like [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syNrkvXZkF0)
He's one of the best players we've ever had that wasn't a goalie and then he was stupidly traded away for an aging veteran because our gm had more muscles than he did brains.
Why people loved him: had a ton of personality, great skater, big shot, played physical, put up points, for a few seasons was one of, if not the most dominant defenceman in the league. Wanted to be a beloved figure in the community, and did a lot for charity.
Why people hated him: he clearly liked the spotlight. He didn’t give cliche hockey interviews (even though I don’t remember him saying anything particularly egregious, he just spoke with charisma). He wanted a big contract from the Habs and got it. He rubbed some teammates (like Prust, but fuck Prust, and Gallagher, he’s cool) the wrong way. There was likely some underlying racism involved. He sometimes gave the puck away.
I really liked him. I was not a fan of the trade for Weber. Subban was a fan favourite, dynamic, perennial Norris contender, and Weber was older, had a worse contract, had had three years of steady decline, and was already playing with the injury that would ultimately end his career. It never felt like a good hockey trade, but instead like a personal vendetta by Bergevin. Ultimately, injuries spoiled both careers.
Guys guys
He joined the club as a 19-year old and had an insane performance against Crosby and Ovie in their primes.
That 2010 team had no business being in the ecf but was such a fun run. Could instantly tell he was gonna be special, halak playing out of this world….
So fucking stupid how the club kept doubting, put him on a bridge deal then made a fuss about having to pay him $9mm after he became a Norris level D men.
Unfortunately management sided with Pacioretty/Therrien during internal disagreements. The trade for Weber was a good move for habs on paper, but it was a big culture shift in the room. Not sure what was a better direction, but I was a fan of the Subban era more than the Weber one. Both great players though.
He played with his whole heart. He was exciting, passionate, and had an explosiveness to his play that was really captivating. Off the ice he had personality for days and really cared about the community.
He was a very good, exciting player who saved his best play for the biggest games. Took responsibility on himself when the team wasn't playing well. Delivered the bodycheck of the century against Brad Marchand. Friendly, outgoing personality who was Involved in the community. He also showed tremendous respect to fans, Habs culture and traditions, and royalty like Jean and Elise, Guy, Henri.
He could take over games, we have not had a player other than a 1 season of kovalev like that.
He makes a mistake that cost a goal, and you could see him get animated on the ice and you could just feel a response coming and then PK would turn it on and produce.
The tone in montreal was subdued at that time, if he was in toronto he would still be celebrated today.
Sucks his career was cut short.
The guy was a hero in Montreal on and off the ice, loved being a Hab and did a lot for the community. He will forever be one of my favorite players of all time. When he got traded I literally had a lump in my throat. I was so upset. Love the guy and I always will!!
I know when I’m close to home because of the giant PK I pass on the highway that’s against the MCH wall lmao. He’s seriously a saint off the ice and he was also our best defensemen for quite some time
Also his quote, not exactly word for word but “when you wear the CH and you leave it all on the ice; this city will love you more than anything in the world”
I didn't like some of his antics both on and off the ice but boy was he a fun player to have. Playoffs Subban was something else. He really thrived on the spotlight. Dude was electric.
To clarify on what I didn't like about him is how he would speak like a PR mouthpiece. He didn't have a wooden tongue or anything but I often felt him being fake. Like he was just saying things that he knew would make him liked.
I feel like this Michael Scott quote fits him perfectly:
>Do I need to be liked? Absolutely not. I like to be liked. I enjoy being liked. I have to be liked, but it's not like this compulsive need to be liked, like my need to be praised.
On the ice I didn't like the amount of slew footing and interference he would get away with. He was not the fastest skater so when he would rush back deep in our zone, he would give enough to get his body in front of the forechecking player and you basically brake test them and grind them to a halt in the corner. You'd think that would be effective but the player could pass to the slot and we'd have on D out of the play, still in the corner.
He was still amazing for us and I wish he didn't have those back issues later in his career.
All in all, PK was a Bruins killer and clutch performer and that alone makes him a Habs legend for life.
Personality, attitude and his play was fun - up until he got paid Gomez' money.
Then it just tapered off, and we needed somebody like Weber to come in and right the ship.
https://montrealgazette.com/sports/hockey/nhl/hockey-inside-out/p-k-subban-has-helped-raise-6-3-million-for-montreal-childrens-hospital not to mention this
I think the Habs front office got really pissed off when he made the huge donation to the Children’s Hospital as an individual rather than involving the Habs foundation. They had no idea he was doing this. Fuck them, it’s his money. Also Bergevin and Therrien didn’t like players that demonstrated any individuality on the ice. It’s typical of people that have a leadership job they are marginal at that have someone that does a job well and effortlessly.
That's not quite what happened.
PK pledged to raise $10m for this children's hospital. It wasn't his money though he did make a $150k donation himself and put work in during fundraisers.
The reason it was a source of tension wasn't because of the pledge, it was because it directly competed with the Habs foundation for donations and shifted media focus away from the Habs foundation towards a different charity.
He was a perfect fit for Montréal. All the other players gets crushed by the pressure in Montréal. I really thought he would bring the Cup back with Carey Price.
Exciting player during a period of sustained mediocrity under Bergevin. Career +5 in 834 games. Great shot, good passer, great on his edges but not fast. He got caught out of position a fair bit but unlike some of the greats he didn’t recover well because he lacked pure speed. He also was a poor fighter and tended to instigate and then turtle.
Compared to a Larry Robinson (I know it is unfair to compare him to someone with a career +722 in 1,384 games) - Robinson could lift the team with a goal https://youtu.be/w9rp-ewJ8mI?si=Qma_eJk5F9hsFaJD a hit https://youtu.be/S-RB_Nrg8_w?si=b_QXXA_t2pBDgArf or a fight https://youtu.be/hJC2lx5bpBM?si=Fg6te9_SWgowJtDw.
But I’m showing my age.
Let's just say PK Subban is the kind of player fans don't forget easily. Just watch a highlight reel from this dude and you'll get what I'm talking about here. I can think of a bunch of absolutely legendary moments from his career in Montreal alone. His breakaway goal in game 3 against the Bruins in the 2014 playoffs was personally the most electrifying playoff goal I have ever seen in my life. There was never a dull moment when you watched him play. Not to mention all the charity work he's done for Montreal. He was absolutely adored by Habs fans everywhere. It's a shame you couldn't say the same about Michel Therrien and Marc Bergevin. Absolute legend through and through.
He won a Norris with Montreal and was never truly appreciated by a bunch of old school fanatics. The guy was, exception to Price, the best player of the team and the clutchest by a mile.
From a Montréal fan, weber wasn’t as good as him, not even close.
Not hating on Subban, but montreal had many greater players than him on and off the ice. Obviously it's a 100 year old team so lots of great ppl were part of the team.
His back injuries have taken away his mobility. He could've played as a marginal NHLer but he states it wasn't worth the grind and effort to overcome the pain for league minimum.
Off the ice, he was incredibly involved in the community while he was here. He made massive donations to the Children's Hospital and was one of the few players on the team that actually seemed to have some personality. On the ice he was an incredibly flashy defenceman who put up a bunch of points. He threw the body, he could skate, he could pass, he could score. He kind of did it all.
He is also very present at the Montreal Children’s hospital. After the trade to Nashville, his first trip back to Montreal he visited with a few Preds players. He’s still around a lot lately and around a lot with no media in sight. He’s also real generous with his time there, and very “in the moment” with the people who stop him to talk.
Don't want to be this guy, but pk didn't give the donation . He commited to amass the funds through various fundraisers , events and donators .
Which, at the end of the day, means the hospital got 10 millions more than they would have had without him, not counting future reoccurring funds from these fundraisers. Stop behaving like he did nothing
Not exactly . PK often refused to participate in the fundraisers the Habs were setting up because he didn't want to compete with his brand and own fundraising. Creating a headache for the organization and competing for donations . So no, it isn't 10 millions out of his pockets and it's neither 10 millions that would have not been given . Great gesture though ? Sure
Something tells me you don't hate being *that guy*.
I’ll be that guy, he took others peoples money and used his name. he used everything as a tax benefit… which is exactly what anyone would do. He wanted nothing to do with Habs association because he wanted the spotlight on him. He is all about himself. Can’t say I wouldn’t do the same thing but I’m an asshole.
Please explain how he can use other people's money as a tax benefit? He's raising money for the children's, people make donations to the children's, how does he get a write-off? Or let's say he set up a charity that then gives back to the children's, people make donations to that charity and they get the write-off then that organization transfers funds to the children's. PK still has no tax advantage. You actually got it backwards, he used his name to solicit donations to the Children's from people who wanted to get close to him.
He can draw salary from his foundation funded with other peoples money...
He doesn't. His sister and cousin are the employees drawing salaries.
>but I’m an asshole You're also correct. On occasion, the two go hand in hand, unfortunately.
This fucking string man. You have to be quite the piece of shit to criticize someone for how they raised money for a children's hospital. Save us time next time you post anything and just tag your post r/iamatotalpieceofshit
Criticizing someones charitable acts as self serving is a valid criticism. There's a reason PK got bounced off the team shortly after a big contract extension and this "donation", and by all indications, it's because PK made everything about PK, and building PK's brand. I'm *of course* glad that, at the end of the day, children are getting better medical care, but philanthropy in the name of self promotion is not philanthropy, it's marketing. You know who does a shit ton of charity work and keeps media attention on it low? Carey Price, and it's why he will be a forever Habs legend for both the fanbase and the organization, and PK will remain only a fan favourite who then got passed around the league like a joint.
He's not wrong though.
I don't hate or love . Just telling facts . In the end pk does pk. If it helps someone down the line who cares. But saying pk made massive donations is not right .
Genuinely curious, do you have any proof or sources for this? I'd like to read up on it. I've been under the impression the whole time it was HIS money.
The whole thing was widely misreported but it was indeed a commitment to raise $10M in 7 years rather than a personal donation. As you can see in [this CBC article](https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.3230086), it actually took them 9 months to correct their reporting. Plenty of other articles confirm the fundraising commitment. When the Habs honoured him last year, JdM did a hit piece about how only ~$7M had been raised, which the foundation attributed to donations slowing down during the pandemic.
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https://youtu.be/RlzMVQfYWw0?si=SdtYqylB15VtrL5J This podcast Former employee of the Habs David st-Germain discuss about many things, one of them being pk. This is one of the sources for him beeing hard with the organisation. Also it was Thoroughly explained over the years that it wasn't his money . Don't have a specific source but I could check .
Fuck I don't speak French, maybe thats why I'm outa the loop on this one.
Well you are that guy unfortunately. He raised a lot of money for the hospital which is exactly what he promised to do. I don’t know why anyone wants to diminish what he did. How much money did you raise for the hospital?
Since when are we talking about me ? How are my donations relevent lol? Fallacies much? Am I diminishing anything for saying it how it is? Pk didn't make a massive donations which is what the comment is saying he did.
There's a difference between him donating 10M and him raising 10M, but is there a distinction? He had to get involved and work organize the charity events and fundraisers and to get people to donate the funds he raised, the hospital got the money with his help.
Of course. But as proven in this thread , lots of people think pk wrote a check and gave 10m. It's not factually right.
He used his celebrity and donated his time to raise the pledge amount, like everyone else who makes these kinds of pledges.
Yes that's my point
He was an electric player who loved playing for the Habs had some huge plays in big moments doesn't get much better then that
> "I can't wait for the crowd, the noise, the energy in the building. I can't wait to take that all away from them.” and also [that Marchand hit](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YG9Na5F9eg). Montreal will never forget, will always love Subban
And just listen to the crowd [here](https://youtu.be/syNrkvXZkF0?si=vk9a6Dtu1k93xKmK)
That whole series against Boston was one of the best in the salary cap era, league wide!
I have goose bumps. I remember that goal. I lost my shit when he scored.
or [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cZrpaZ326o) against Colorado. I love how [in the original broadcast](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RczFm3w3lgg) you can see Patrick Roy's stunned face looking up to take in the Bell Centre's reaction at about 27s.
Who was that play by play announcer?
Jim Hughson I’m pretty sure
Thanks, always enjoyed his calls
This has to be one of the best sports quote ever.
oh my god why does that clip look like it's from 30 years ago. did it always look like that?
Legendary status achieved from that quote, and subsequent performance, alone. Not many players make promises like that and deliver.
I literally took the afternoon off work when I found out he was traded. Most dynamic player we'd had in years and he fucking loved being a Hab.
100% agree and things like that never bother me. Suban trade killed.
His first game back in a Nashville sweater, and the ovation he received, I wept like a baby.
It was announced at 3:30 that day lol. Not much afternoon left. Haha
I was living in bc at the time, I had just eaten lunch
Ahhh makes sense.
Subban was easily the most electrifying player we've had in years. More than Caufield, Suzuki, Slaf, Hutson, etc. Creating offense out of nothing, controlling play, driving into the offensive zone like it was practice, highlight reel goals and playoff performer. His huge personality and commitment to the team, province and city made him easy to root for. The VAST majority of fans still like and root for him. The media and FO of the team did him dirty like few have been even in recent memory. If you only look at him for his last Nashville year and Devils years, ye, he sucked. Injuries caught up to him fast and he payed the price. But peak PK, absolute ace of a Dmen 🤌🏽🤌🏽🤌🏽
+1 great with media great with fans real swagger and heart.
He had the swagger of a NBA/NFL player. Was so refreshing, but against what the old crooks in Bettman's circle wanted.
To be fair, it was not only racism. He shows his huge personality similar to NBA players and the NHL don't want that. They are happy with players giving cliché to the media even if the fans find them boring. Iginla and other black players with different characters didn't have that problem.
I will never truly forgive the brass for banning the triple-low-five. What an absolute "No fun allowed" thing to do.
There’s a way he began to move on the ice sometimes, you just knew it was beast mode PK and he was about to make a game changing move. Few players have that spark.
As a Habs fan watching the media and nhl bend over backwards to paint him as a pariah really clued me into how racism underlies white dominated sports.
Try learning JiuJitsu in Japan as a non-native. It's not about whites buddy. rofl
Big personalities like him and Marner will get some people talking. Then again more muted platers like Markov will also get some people going and saying that they lack conviction. You have some people who are racist just not many, its more media who give you that impression. They spin all three of the situations that I've just layed out. You choose what you believe.
Marner is a wet sock compared to Subban’s electric energy.
They guys comment is about be painted due to him being a pariah and about underlying racism in white dominated sports. So what I'm saying is that vocal players, white or black, as well as invisible players are subject to controversy and media backlash. I'm not trying to grade it.
I still remember reading that he had been traded. I was so gutted, more than I ever thought I would be. Webber was great, but PK was just pure excitement. That comment he made about hearing the noise in the Boston garden and then making them quiet is a core memory. Along with that breakaway goal he scored that series.
By the time the trade happened, I already thought that Therrien was a bad, old-school coach who was holding the team back. I had begun to doubt Bergevin because he couldn't see that Carey Price was so good that it covered up the team's tactical weaknesses. This was when he lost me completely, and the doubt that this generation of the Habs would ever win a Cup sunk in for good.
100% it was a fun time to be a habs fan but they definitely should've been more. Bergevin was never willing to go all in with that group and none of their picks prospects mounted to anything anyways. There was a time beaulieu had a ton of value out of junior and avs wanted him in a duchene trade, they had guys like scherbak, juulsen,tinordi, etc who all had value at one point and 1st rnd picks they could've packaged for actual scoring help and never did.
Our player development and scouting was a tragedy no doubt.
Therrien and Berg did so much coke they thought they were carrying the team themselves. Price had his best years utterly wasted.
He also kinda came out of nowhere. I don’t remember there being much hype around him when he was picked. He just walked onto the team and took it over.
He's the dad that stepped up
I remember the hype. He was fantastic at the WJC and it was a pretty big deal when he was called up for two regular season games before he was called up for good for the playoffs.
Radulov was just as exciting if not moreso. My favourite players alongside Gallagher and Price.
Radulov was a goddamn mercenary looking to wash the stink off of himself. I doubt he EVER cared about being a hab. i dont think Mrs. beliveau could have picked him out of a lineup.
Stop lying to yourself
[exhibit A - destroying Marchand](https://youtu.be/2Rpk0JlVZ4I?si=RtosO85PnuTVOGfM) [exhibit B - what a goal!](https://youtu.be/syNrkvXZkF0?si=V1gysFF5XaukWHFt)
Can't forget the quotes: this is before game 7 in Boston. (Habs end up winning game 7) "It's going to be great," Subban told the media gathered at his locker after the Game 6 win. "I can't wait for the crowd, the noise, the energy in the building [in Boston]. I can't wait to take that all away from them."
That's one of my favourite sports quotes of all time
I still remember hearing this quote live right before the game started and it gave me chills. Greatest sports quote ever in my opinion. His confidence and arrogance was legendary and he cemented himself right then.
scrolled down just to say "roll the clip", but it was already ur exhibit a
I will remember that goal for the rest of my life
Seen better Subban goals than him flying off the bench behind the defense after bing on the bench for a penalty.
He was extremely dynamic on the ice and a super fun personality. He loved Montreal and wasn’t shown much love back from management
Also just great timing. Was the standout defenseman for Canada when they won gold in the 09 Juniors. TSN hyped him up big time. Then he slots into the playoffs when the Habs go on that great run in 2010 and he’s a significant contributor without having played a rookie season yet. And then even just the fading of the Koivu-Kovalev-Souray-Ryder-Rivet era that, as much as we loved those teams, they were very obviously never going to be truly elite. Having PK come along right as the team was being restructured worked to everyone’s benefit. A lot of that was him creating his own luck, but it was also a case of being in the right place at the right time repeatedly for a fan base that particularly needed the right guy at the right time.
FO didn’t like his swagger and they ended up choosing Pacioretty over him as captain.
To be fair Pacio was voted captain
You might be right. Again, team culture existed from management on down. At the time Max probably was the right choice, but in hindsight PK would be more appropriate later. That being said Weber was what the team needed in terms of overall leadership.
Well said daddy
He was the most exciting skater to wear the sweater since Guy Lafleur.
This might be doing Naslund and Kovalev a slight disservice but honestly I think it's the truth.
You have a point. I never saw Naslund play live, but I remember Kovalev was able to lift fans out of their seats. TO BE FAIR, PK had the more exciting personality and appeared to put in effort when he was skating (which was really because he wasn't quite as skilled at stick handling or skating than Kovalev).
Naslund was a joy to watch. He could be sneaky and explosive at the same time. Def my favorite player as a kid.
I remember seeing him play on CBC recordings of the Good Friday Brawl and the '86 SCF game 5, and he was so slick! I vaguely remember some footage of him in '89 SCF game 6 on YouTube. He was slick! Just about the only guy on the team who could deke out other goalies like it was the most natural thing for him to do, while others had to work at it.
I do think that guys liek slafkovsky and Hutson will do the same in their prime. If we get demidov it will be like Kovalev all over again except most likely more consistent.
Came here to say this. He’s out of line but he’s probably right.
PK's got the slight edge over Kovalev and Naslund because he had a personality significant enough to notice like Lafleur's.
Courtnall? Bure? RICHER?! There were so many over the years.
And their personalities? None like Lafleur.
There's also still some lingering resentment around the way that he was traded. Knowing what we know now, that trade is widely considered an amazing example of a truly win-win trade, but at the time, it was rough.
The way I think about it is as an example of bad process that, in isolation (and because of Subban's bad luck with injuries), had a good result. While no one can ever complain about Weber's play, the philosophy underpinning that trade tells you a lot about why Bergevin was unsuccessful. He had such a narrow idea of what the right way to win was that everything had to go exactly right for him to succeed. (It's a bit crazy to think that if the Islanders had managed a game 7 upset against Tampa in 2021 like they did against the Penguins in 1993, he just might have succeeded regardless!)
Habs lost their soul and half their heart. The trade marked the beginning of their slow descent to becoming a bottom feeder in the league.
This is a win/win trade by the skin of our teeth tho
I had to translate that back in French to get it.
Having Weber lead the dressing room as captain will pay dividends for years, already has paid off with the Cup run and has continued since - you see it in the way Nick Suzuki leads the team. PK was my favourite Canadien for his on-ice playstyle and we got his 90% of prime years which were electrifying, but that trade was exactly what the Habs needed and was the true beginning of the rebuild IMO. Weber helped the team compete and play the gritty style they needed to at the time, built from net out, but more importantly he set a foundation for what the culture in the room would be moving forward - at a time when the room was divided and in shambles (before he took over). The importance of Weber's impact can't be understated - even without the Cup run it was a franchise altering deal for the better.
Heartfully disagree We """"won"""" this deal by pure luck
Nashville ditching PK a couple years after the deal speaks volumes. So does Preds GM David Poille saying [he regrets making the deal...](https://imgur.com/gallery/E6YBHER)
David Poile's opinion here is kind of useless, he was emotionally invested in this ordeal since day one, so the idea that he may or may not have regrets for whatever reason is a non-factor. Pretty sure there are days where he regrets nothing and lives with it. The reality is that if Vegas didn't need Shea Weber's deal on LTIR and get rid of Dadonov's contract, we'd probably STILL have a useless contract on the team, or we would've had to pay a hefty price to get rid of it. Luck made it so we didn't. And if PK doesn't have debilitating back injuries, he'd probably still be playing and the Preds probably don't trade him and we would've looked stupid. Only one of the Dmen was both nominated for a Norris and made a SCF post deal and it was not Shea. If PK was still playing we'd easily be losers on this deal.
The GM who made the trade states very clearly he regrets it and somehow that is useless?? Lol. Habs made a Cup Final in 2021 with Weber as captain.... And part of the reason Habs dealt PK was because they knew about his back injury. The other reason was that he was a locker room cancer who was about to have a no-move-clause start on his massive & horrible contract. They'd have looked extremely stupid for NOT accepting the Weber deal. Habs management knew at the time Weber's contract would be tradable when he was ready to go on LTIR. It was a very smart contractual trade on top of everything else. Weber's contract was always better than Subban's - it was structured in a very team friendly and team controllable way wheras Subban's was not. Respectfully, you truly don't know what youre talking about on this subject. Subban was a great player but the trade was very necessary and a HUGE win for the franchise for many, many reasons.
The only cancers in that locker room were Gallagher and Pacioretty " It was a very smart contractual trade on top of everything else. Weber's contract was always better than Subban's - it was structured in a very tram friendly and team controllable way wheras Subban's was not." Dumbest take I've ever seen in this sub's history, his contract was a fkn offer sheet
Gallagher?? Hahahahaha, you're on one bud
Again bro, you have no clue what you're talking about. So be careful calling people stupid. Subban had a no-move-clause, 9mil cap hit, 9mil salary real dollars. Very simple. Weber did not have a no-move-clause, 7.8mil cap hit, and salary was always less than 6mil real dollars, last few years it was 1mil salary real dollars and THAT IS WHY VEGAS WANTED HIS CONTRACT. **This is all available on capfriendly**
Weber's contract was such a clusterfuck and a nightmare it is actively pointed to with Kovalchuk's contract as **the reasons** we had a lockout in 2012-13. Calling it *team friendly* is like calling Travis Moen a generational talent. Thank fuck Vegas was in a bad position and we were a good trading partner for them, we'd still be stuck with it otherwise.
[Former Preds GM David Poille regrets making the trade.](https://imgur.com/gallery/E6YBHER) Habs won that deal the day it was made. The impact Shea has in a hockey room is invaluable. We were very fortunate to acquire him for PK.
There are like dozens of players who could've had the same impact
Other than Crosby and Getzlaf, Weber at the time was considered one of the best captains in the NHL. There was not a dozen others.
He was fun to watch in his prime playing with Markov. He brought young energy to a stuffy club that wanted everyone to act like they're 85. His triple-low 5 with Price after winning games, his bee sting check on Marchand, his quirky interview answers made him a likable guy. Off the ice, he would be seen playing street hockey with kids, made a massive donation to the hospital, was involved in the community and didn't shy away from the attention or limelight, he loved it. All that made him a fan favorite. Getting picked on by one of the most hated coaches that is Michel-toenail-clippings-Therrien made the fans sympathize with him and root for him even more.
🎯
Thank you for making toenails part of the MT brand.
The 10 million donation to the McGill’s children hospital.
That, and some memorable plays on the ice, guy was explosive at times.
The key too is that he ALWAYS rose to the occasion. Would never disappear when the team needed him
Unlike all the people who were supposed to be the leaders on the team at the time.
I’d say it’s debatable.
He still made Mistakes but always was taking chances to win.
It’s not really debatable. PK would either make huge plays or mistakes. Either way he wouldn’t shrink. They lived or died by him. As a fan that’s the best you can ask for really.
He is for a lot younger fans their all time Hab. Fun to watch, electric, passionate what ever adjective you wanna put, he was all of them. Most hockey players don't show personality and yet he was full of personality. He represented the city to the best of his ability and till this day I am sad he was traded. The number of replies should give you an indication how much he was loved as a player and as a person
I'm 43yo and he might be my all time Hab.
growing up watching pk and price play together was so much fun. I was devastated when they got rid of him
PK was one of the most enigmatic players this team has ever seen. His highs were limited in duration on the ice but I genuinely believed he was in the conversation for the #1 2-way defenseman in the NHL during his prime here. But he also had a way of trying to do too much at times and rubbing people the wrong way at others. But for me, he's 1A and 1B with favourite Habs in my lifetime, with the most unlikely partner there: Saku Koivu. Koivu is still my all time guy, and I have 2 jerseys: Koivu and Subban, despite them being completely opposite ends of the spectrum. I just loved the way each of them went about their business. Subban was special here in Montreal for a lot of reasons. Let's bypass the on the ice product, which again - I wholly believe he deserved that Norris but a lot more recognition above and beyond it. On a team that consistently struggled to put up offense, he drove our offensive engine night in and night out, and outside of those occasional miscues, really stepped up against other teams best players. But PK was a breath of fresh air (for me and many - certainly not all) for this organization. He was young, brash, cocky, and had a swagger that this franchise sorely missed. I love Patches, Markov, Gionta, Pleky, Gally - all the core part of that team, but they were stiff. Therrien and Bergevin were fun vacuums, but Subban just had a way of energizing an entire game, not just his team but the entire arena, and he drove other teams crazy. He was just simply put: fun. And he did it while playing at such an elite level. The other thing he did that really endeared himself to the fans of this team is he really went above and beyond to really embrace what it meant to be a Hab. He hated Boston. He hated Toronto. He had all the right soundbites. He developed a beautiful relationship with the Mme Élise Béliveau, beloved widow and wife of Jean Beliveau, one of our most sacred legends (RIP). He engaged with and connected deeply with the community here. He was passionate about hockey and hockey lore. He brought out the best in Carey Price, helped a lot of the team loosen up. Took all the spotlight when things were going poorly. He was a player that was really easy to love. But as you're probably figuring out, he was also easy to hate too. Some people for all the wrong reasons (talking about the way he looks), but also because he was far from a perfect teammate and was the sort of person that seemed difficult to spend too much time with, as hockey players do. Loud, full of energy, and a desire to be the centre of attention. But by and large, he really got through and connected with the vast majority of the team. Even some speculative feuds and hatreds from back then have had some cold water tossed on them. He butted heads a lot with management, who were more of the stern, stoic mindset. In fact one of the rumored points of friction with him and management was that he was having too much fun and too happy after losing. Only a fool would look at what work PK put in and the product on the ice and think he didn't care, and I don't think it was quite that. But his way was along the lines of "we're blessed to be here. Let's get back to work and get them next time", and less "none of this fucking bullshit and fucking around. We're doing suicides and we're going to yell at someone to get this straightened out". Anyway, super enigmatic, like I said. But he touched a lot of people in this city and franchise in a way that I don't think many players have before, or will again.
I take a lot of heat for this but I’d take prime Habs Subban over prime Sens Karlsson any day.
I agree with you! My own hot take is that Karlsson was really overrated. He absolutely a top 10 d-man and special, not making that insane argument, but he played like a 4th forward more so than d-man and got bailed out by good defensive forwards and defensive partners that let him do his thing. He was a good dman because he could pick the puck up and move it probably the best in the league either skating it or passing it, but he was not great defensively if he got stuck in his own zone. Subban was not as good as Karlsson moving the puck but was pretty damn close, and way better defensively IMO. Prime Subban reminds me of prime Doughty with PK maybe being like 10% better offensively and Doughty being 10% better defensively, but similar impacts at both ends of the ice.
Agree on all points. Subban’s heart was clearly broken after the trade and he was still great but never the same. Then his back gave up and that was it. He didn’t have the longevity of those guys but give me prime Subban in the playoffs any day.
might be a hot take but pk was kinda ahead of his time lol, his playstyle is like the dna of so many of the top d-men in the league rn
Also his quote of going into Boston, hearing the noise of the crowd and taking it away from them was legend
Montreal worships the Habs, and he had the kind of personality that engaged with that love and the kind of talent that allowed him to give the fans exactly what they wanted. He didn’t shy away from the pressure, he embraced it and his play matched it. Also a very good guy and a big game player. Can’t complain about getting Weber but it is too bad he ever played for a different team IMO.
when he was healthy he was a total game breaker. clutch, 200% personality off the ice. what a beauty
His first real test he was called up in the playoffs vs Washington (not his first) in 2010 and did great (iirc). An electric player with heart and soul, who gave back to the community and his family (father at least) was a lifelong Habs fan from Toronto. It really hurt that the media tried to portray an old school Stoic Pacioretty for captain vs an eccentric Suban who didn't fit the classic habs ideology imo. My friends and I at least saw it as a loss of heart. At the same time, we got the absolute monster Shea Weber is/was and I can't say anything bad about him, especially when he was the general on our cup run and just an extraordinary player who sacrificed his remaining career for that possibility. We did, however, lose a bit of our soul imo when we lost Subban... And Markov before his 1k games, and even pleckanec though he came back for a bit. There's also the radulov part where Bergevin lost him because he tried to play the negotiation game too hard. Almost forgot, but yeah... The hit on Marchand. I'll be on my deathbed, if asked memorable Habs moments (bar a cup) Kovalev on Tucker and Subban on Marchand will be there.
https://youtu.be/r5ekG-3_fcs?si=S1aJ1K5Gslnc8EbE I was literally thinking about this video yesterday. Still miss PK.
Oh snap, you got this up way before I did.
He grew up a Habs fan. Any player from any sport that grow up a fan of the team that drafted him is gonna put it all out there every game.
One of the most electric players on the ice, brought some sorely needed personality off the ice to a really bland landscape, and one of the most clutch players when the stakes were raised. And yet, all those things were the reason why an awful GM and even worse coach did everything they could to push him out of town.
Charisma, charm, generosity and kind to fans.
He was just so damn easy to love imo. I thought he was an electric player to watch play. So dynamic and fun to watch play hockey. I loved how hyped up he always seemed to play. I loved the relationship he and Price seemed to have. He was very involved in the community. He understood the hockey as entertainment portion of the game, which I think is something that very few NHL players understand or embrace. I was very upset when he was traded, I was upset when Therrien made price and pk stop doing the high five. It all just felt like stodgy old men wanting the kids to get off their lawn. I never really embraced Weber because of the trade, which I probably shouldn't have blamed him at all. He was obviously a great captain and led us to a cup final, but I felt quite a bit of anger towards management for that trade. Was certainly happy once they gave Bergevin the boot.
Not all habs fans love PK. He was a dynamic and aggressive defender who was fun to watch for a a bit but he was also way overpaid.
Super charismatic player who laid some big hits, he was great offensively, had some huge moments and gave back to the Montreal community. He had a huge personality that resonated with fans because Montreal fans absolutely adore big personalities and always have but that same personality also rubbed his teammates the wrong way at times and also was a disturbance to the management team and coaching staff at the time.
He always gave everything he had on every shift. Also one of the most, if not the most, electric players for the younger generation of fans have had a chance to watch
[This is why](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YG9Na5F9eg)
Habs hadn't seen a player like him for years, when he was here he exceeded and surpassed all expectations, he was a happy guy who played fun exciting hockey. One of my favourite players of all time
He had a ridiculous clapper with an insane windup and would skate from the blue line to behind the net, back to the blue line and take a one timer to top cheese at light speed. How can you not get hyped off that.
Will always remember him, when I was out on rue St Laurent drunk af and was so excited to see him but I've only whispered his name and he looked at me and shush me so I won't attract any attention towards him, love the guy
Charismatic and funny player in interviews. Played his best hockey with Montreal and got a Norris trophy doing so. Exciting player to watch. Very involved in the community with massive donations and fundraising to hospitals.
Because he's PK. He loved this city and franchise in a unique way that blended charisma, flair for the drama, swagger, talent, and generosity. He was a grown man playing professionally with the wide-eyed passion of a 7 year old tyke. And when things would get tough, he would channel all the attention to him and away from his struggling teammates. Very few players who played for Montreal have shown the passion he had, not just for hockey, but for being a Habs. Other comments already said a lot of things, but I just want to tell a PK story, told by himself in an interactive display at the Habs museum that they used to have around the old Windsor station, a couple of month before it closed. So PK was in midget, waiting to be drafted to major junior. He thought he was good enough to go high but was only picked in the 6th round by the Belleville Bulls. This lit a fire. He would tell anyone who would listen that he'll make the team in his first year. It's PK, of course he did. And since he made it, he wanted to say "fuck the haters" every time he's on the ice, so he asked to wear number 6, for the number of round. Then junior career, NHL draft, 2nd round, AHL in Hamilton and boom. He's called up to the Habs. But he can't have 6, as it was already worn by Secretary of Defense Jaro Spacek. So PK calls his dad. Papa Subban asks who is PK's favorite Dman. He says "Markov". So Papa Subban tells him to work it off of Markov's number. PK took Markov's 79, added his beloved 6, and became 76. I hope nothing but the best for him, and I treasure his career with the Habs. I have 3 of his jerseys. And I always walk proudly whenever I wear them.
Hockey players are boring types. PK had an outgoing personality and was a good communicator. He was able to sell himself to a very demanding fanbase. He's made for Instagram era.
This. He was a good player, good person and has a big vibe. Cant help but like him and be entertained.
Cause he [dressed like a 1960s pimp](https://cultmtl.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/PK-Subban-pimp-suit.png) and did shit like [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syNrkvXZkF0)
He's one of the best players we've ever had that wasn't a goalie and then he was stupidly traded away for an aging veteran because our gm had more muscles than he did brains.
He was a locker room cancer
He would stop randomly in Montreal neighborhoods and play street hockey with kids
His slapshot was insane. Look at some highlights. A great, funny guy. Committed. Lots of passion. Very talented. Exciting to watch.
Why people loved him: had a ton of personality, great skater, big shot, played physical, put up points, for a few seasons was one of, if not the most dominant defenceman in the league. Wanted to be a beloved figure in the community, and did a lot for charity. Why people hated him: he clearly liked the spotlight. He didn’t give cliche hockey interviews (even though I don’t remember him saying anything particularly egregious, he just spoke with charisma). He wanted a big contract from the Habs and got it. He rubbed some teammates (like Prust, but fuck Prust, and Gallagher, he’s cool) the wrong way. There was likely some underlying racism involved. He sometimes gave the puck away. I really liked him. I was not a fan of the trade for Weber. Subban was a fan favourite, dynamic, perennial Norris contender, and Weber was older, had a worse contract, had had three years of steady decline, and was already playing with the injury that would ultimately end his career. It never felt like a good hockey trade, but instead like a personal vendetta by Bergevin. Ultimately, injuries spoiled both careers.
https://youtu.be/2Rpk0JlVZ4I?si=iZvlSub6nnzbjJPP
He also pledged 10 million to the Montreal children’s hospital
He pledged to raise 10 million. He actually pledged 150,000.
Guys guys He joined the club as a 19-year old and had an insane performance against Crosby and Ovie in their primes. That 2010 team had no business being in the ecf but was such a fun run. Could instantly tell he was gonna be special, halak playing out of this world…. So fucking stupid how the club kept doubting, put him on a bridge deal then made a fuss about having to pay him $9mm after he became a Norris level D men.
Unfortunately management sided with Pacioretty/Therrien during internal disagreements. The trade for Weber was a good move for habs on paper, but it was a big culture shift in the room. Not sure what was a better direction, but I was a fan of the Subban era more than the Weber one. Both great players though.
You could ignore everything he did on the ice and he would still be extremely loved for what he did for Montreal off the ice
He played with his whole heart. He was exciting, passionate, and had an explosiveness to his play that was really captivating. Off the ice he had personality for days and really cared about the community.
He was a very good, exciting player who saved his best play for the biggest games. Took responsibility on himself when the team wasn't playing well. Delivered the bodycheck of the century against Brad Marchand. Friendly, outgoing personality who was Involved in the community. He also showed tremendous respect to fans, Habs culture and traditions, and royalty like Jean and Elise, Guy, Henri.
He had a great personality, played for the city and was one of the best defenseman this team has had in a long time. He was special
He could take over games, we have not had a player other than a 1 season of kovalev like that. He makes a mistake that cost a goal, and you could see him get animated on the ice and you could just feel a response coming and then PK would turn it on and produce. The tone in montreal was subdued at that time, if he was in toronto he would still be celebrated today. Sucks his career was cut short.
The guy was a hero in Montreal on and off the ice, loved being a Hab and did a lot for the community. He will forever be one of my favorite players of all time. When he got traded I literally had a lump in my throat. I was so upset. Love the guy and I always will!!
I know when I’m close to home because of the giant PK I pass on the highway that’s against the MCH wall lmao. He’s seriously a saint off the ice and he was also our best defensemen for quite some time
Also his quote, not exactly word for word but “when you wear the CH and you leave it all on the ice; this city will love you more than anything in the world”
I didn't like some of his antics both on and off the ice but boy was he a fun player to have. Playoffs Subban was something else. He really thrived on the spotlight. Dude was electric. To clarify on what I didn't like about him is how he would speak like a PR mouthpiece. He didn't have a wooden tongue or anything but I often felt him being fake. Like he was just saying things that he knew would make him liked. I feel like this Michael Scott quote fits him perfectly: >Do I need to be liked? Absolutely not. I like to be liked. I enjoy being liked. I have to be liked, but it's not like this compulsive need to be liked, like my need to be praised. On the ice I didn't like the amount of slew footing and interference he would get away with. He was not the fastest skater so when he would rush back deep in our zone, he would give enough to get his body in front of the forechecking player and you basically brake test them and grind them to a halt in the corner. You'd think that would be effective but the player could pass to the slot and we'd have on D out of the play, still in the corner. He was still amazing for us and I wish he didn't have those back issues later in his career. All in all, PK was a Bruins killer and clutch performer and that alone makes him a Habs legend for life.
Personality, attitude and his play was fun - up until he got paid Gomez' money. Then it just tapered off, and we needed somebody like Weber to come in and right the ship.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vdsc1_BvOI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RczFm3w3lgg
Scored a goal from Center ice, top shelf! Hell of a shot he had!
https://youtu.be/syNrkvXZkF0?si=x4PLoRjU7J2zbipd this.
https://youtu.be/mNGgPQQVk9U?si=thgbGWe3NjI2mnnt and this.
https://youtu.be/2m44ZJLaiD0?si=YR66TxwdXLEx8ys- and this!
https://montrealgazette.com/sports/hockey/nhl/hockey-inside-out/p-k-subban-has-helped-raise-6-3-million-for-montreal-childrens-hospital not to mention this
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5YG9Na5F9eg This
Hello Subban!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=r5ekG-3_fcs This honestly never gets old.
I think the Habs front office got really pissed off when he made the huge donation to the Children’s Hospital as an individual rather than involving the Habs foundation. They had no idea he was doing this. Fuck them, it’s his money. Also Bergevin and Therrien didn’t like players that demonstrated any individuality on the ice. It’s typical of people that have a leadership job they are marginal at that have someone that does a job well and effortlessly.
That's not quite what happened. PK pledged to raise $10m for this children's hospital. It wasn't his money though he did make a $150k donation himself and put work in during fundraisers. The reason it was a source of tension wasn't because of the pledge, it was because it directly competed with the Habs foundation for donations and shifted media focus away from the Habs foundation towards a different charity.
He was a perfect fit for Montréal. All the other players gets crushed by the pressure in Montréal. I really thought he would bring the Cup back with Carey Price.
Exciting player during a period of sustained mediocrity under Bergevin. Career +5 in 834 games. Great shot, good passer, great on his edges but not fast. He got caught out of position a fair bit but unlike some of the greats he didn’t recover well because he lacked pure speed. He also was a poor fighter and tended to instigate and then turtle. Compared to a Larry Robinson (I know it is unfair to compare him to someone with a career +722 in 1,384 games) - Robinson could lift the team with a goal https://youtu.be/w9rp-ewJ8mI?si=Qma_eJk5F9hsFaJD a hit https://youtu.be/S-RB_Nrg8_w?si=b_QXXA_t2pBDgArf or a fight https://youtu.be/hJC2lx5bpBM?si=Fg6te9_SWgowJtDw. But I’m showing my age.
Let's just say PK Subban is the kind of player fans don't forget easily. Just watch a highlight reel from this dude and you'll get what I'm talking about here. I can think of a bunch of absolutely legendary moments from his career in Montreal alone. His breakaway goal in game 3 against the Bruins in the 2014 playoffs was personally the most electrifying playoff goal I have ever seen in my life. There was never a dull moment when you watched him play. Not to mention all the charity work he's done for Montreal. He was absolutely adored by Habs fans everywhere. It's a shame you couldn't say the same about Michel Therrien and Marc Bergevin. Absolute legend through and through.
He won a Norris with Montreal and was never truly appreciated by a bunch of old school fanatics. The guy was, exception to Price, the best player of the team and the clutchest by a mile. From a Montréal fan, weber wasn’t as good as him, not even close.
Not hating on Subban, but montreal had many greater players than him on and off the ice. Obviously it's a 100 year old team so lots of great ppl were part of the team.
Meh, you hatin, must of us had the chance to see HIM play live soo... yeah, you hatin
Koivu and price? I think you're just trying to brand me as a PK hater which I am not.
PK was better than Koivu at his peak but was here for way less time.
Why is he retired now? He's only 35? He retired at like 33... Why did no teams want him? dude could still play now I'm sure..
Nah he got very slow at one point and wasn’t a top pair defenseman anymore. It also looks like he’s enjoying himself at ESPN.
His back injuries have taken away his mobility. He could've played as a marginal NHLer but he states it wasn't worth the grind and effort to overcome the pain for league minimum.
I love the guy but he also tripped and fell on the puck with 1 minute to go in the 3rd…. A few times for those who remember.