P. K. Subban

Lore & Background

Subban was born in Toronto and raised in the Rexdale neighbourhood. His parents emigrated from the Caribbean in the 1970s: his father Karl from Jamaica, his mother Maria from Montserrat. He played junior hockey for the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), where he also played alongside his brothers Malcolm and Jordan. Subban was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the second round of the 2007 NHL entry draft. He made his NHL debut on February 12, 2010, against the Philadelphia Flyers, recording his first career point (an assist). In the 2010 playoffs, he became the third rookie defenceman in Canadiens history to register three assists in one game. On March 20, 2011, he became the first Canadiens rookie defenceman to score a hat-trick. After the 2012–13 lockout-shortened season, he won the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the NHL's defenceman of the year, tying Kris Letang as the season's leading scorer among defencemen. In August 2014, he signed an eight-year, $72 million contract with Montreal, making him the highest-paid defenceman in the NHL at the time. He was named an alternate captain of the Canadiens on September 15, 2014. On June 29, 2016, Subban was traded to the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenceman Shea Weber. With Nashville, he reached the 2017 Stanley Cup Final, losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games. On June 22, 2019, he was traded to the New Jersey Devils for Steven Santini, prospect Jérémy Davies, and two second-round draft picks. He retired on September 20, 2022.

Reader's Guide

Subban's career is marked by his Norris Trophy win in 2013, which recognized him as the NHL's top defenceman after he matched his career-high 38 points in a lockout-shortened season. His eight-year, $72 million contract with the Canadiens made him the highest-paid defenceman in the league at the time. The blockbuster trade that sent him to Nashville for Shea Weber in 2016 was a defining moment, and he helped the Predators reach the 2017 Stanley Cup Final. Subban was a finalist for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy in 2018 and later won the award in 2022 for his community work. His statistical low point came in his first season with New Jersey, where he recorded 18 points and a career-worst plus-minus of −21. After retiring, he became a broadcast analyst for the NHL on ESPN.

Did You Know?

• Subban was born in Toronto but always wanted to play for the Montreal Canadiens as a child.
• He is the first Canadiens rookie defenceman to score a hat-trick, which he did on March 20, 2011.
• Subban was traded from the Canadiens to the Nashville Predators in exchange for Shea Weber on June 29, 2016.
• He won the King Clancy Memorial Trophy in 2022 for his commitment to racial and social justice, underserved youth, COVID-19 relief, and youth hockey.