When the Montreal Canadiens traded P.K. Subban, it appeared that the deal was made for more than just hockey reasons. Now, Subban is publicly admitting that himself.
[link_box id=”22277″ site_id=”17″ layout=”link-box-third” alignment=”alignright”]Subban spoke to Alex Prewitt of Sports Illustrated and said the people who thought the deal was a “good ol’ fashioned hockey trade” are wrong in his opinion, instead saying the deal with Nashville was a personality trade.
PK Subban quote to @alex_prewitt: "Ppl said it was a hockey trade. I think it’s the furthest from that. I think it was a personality trade.”
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) October 6, 2016
Subban isn’t wrong. Montreal head coach Michel Therrien and general manager Marc Bergevin seemed irked by Subban’s personality and attitude. Subban liked having fun on the ice and being involved off the ice in a number of facets, including TV appearances and his work and generosity with the Montreal Children’s Hospital. Subban wasn’t one to shy away from the spotlight, but embraced it in a positive way.
Shea Weber is a fine defenseman, but you don’t trade Subban in a one-for-one deal for solely hockey reasons.
Bergevin himself admitted Subban’s attitude was never a problem in Montreal in a June interview following the trade.
“There was never an issue,” Bergevin said. “Never a problem. …I think it was blown out of proportion.”
Therrien has always been critical on Canadiens players having fun. Let’s not forget he banned Subban and goaltender Carey Price from triple-low-fiving after victories because it was deemed to be a lack of respect for the game.
The entire situation is sad. Most teams would kill to have a player with Subban’s personality in the dressing room and in public. Montreal didn’t.
