Habs release lengthy statement on P.K. Subban

Hockey fans certainly won't soon forget that defenseman P.K. Subban was once known as one of the league's top players at his position. Not only did he win the James Norris Memorial Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman in 2013, he was also a finalist for the award in 2018. He was also considered among the most exciting players on the ice. 

But the enigmatic personality recently fell on hard times on the ice, seeing his stats fall off a cliff in recent years. He's coming off the massive eight-year, US$72-million contract he signed with the Montreal Canadiens in 2014 before a high profile deal in 2016 that sent him to the Nashville Predators for Shea Weber.

Last season with the Devils, Subban scored five goals with 17 assists along with a -8 plus/minus rating. And it was during the year that he was essentially told by Devils management that he would not be brought back for this season. And after being unable to find a suitor for his services during the summer, he ultimately decided to call it a career. 

Earlier this month, the Canadiens announced that they would be honoring his time with the organization prior to their January 12 game at Bell Centre against the Predators.

“We are thrilled to welcome P.K. back to his first NHL home this January,” Canadiens owner, president and CEO Geoff Molson said in a statement. “We look forward to giving our fans a chance to celebrate his career and the impact he had — and continues to have — on the Montreal community. Whether it’s kids on local minor hockey teams choosing to wear No. 76, or the number of fans we see on any given night at the Bell Centre who still proudly wear their Subban jerseys, you don’t have to go far to understand the influence P.K. had on the popularity of the sport in Quebec.”

Over the course of his career spent with the Canadiens, Predators and Devils, he scored 115 goals with 352 assists.