Gotta See It: How Subban did what Weber was never able to do in Nashville

When the Nashville Predators and Montreal Canadiens teamed up to make the biggest trade of last offseason, the blockbuster transaction was certain to have lasting effects beyond just 2016-17. But, before we’ve even reached the anniversary of the deal, it’s paid off in spades for the Preds.

Thought to be the prototypical gritty, defensive defenseman required to be successful in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Shea Weber struggled to contain superstar players like Joe Thornton, Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Sedin, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane during his time in Nashville. In three consecutive playoff series’, however, PK Subban has managed to hold Toews, Vladimir Tarasenko and Ryan Getzlaf to just three goals in 16 games.

That’s pretty incredible. But, don’t hold your breath waiting for the mainstream hockey media to anoint PK Subban as the league’s next great shut-down D man. The false narrative that he’s selfish player only concerned with his own offensive statistics runs deep throughout the league, but perhaps a Stanley Cup championship will solve that?