This NHL offseason was already noteworthy. The New Jersey Devils had already nabbed the prized Jack Hughes with the #1 pick in the draft. Hughes is an 18-year-old phenom out of the United States Developmental Camp and is the younger brother to rising star Quinn of Vancouver. At that point they were looked at by many as a team that would quietly wait a couple of years to implement the young arsenal of #1 selections, along with Nico Herschier and Taylor Hall. But the morning of June 22nd came, and the whole landscape of the NHL changed with the deal of the summer.
P.K Subban was born on May 13th, 1989 in Toronto, in the province of Ontario. Subban grew up in a hockey family, most notably with brother Malcolm becoming a goaltender for the Golden Knights. Even though he grew up in an inner-city where many were impoverished, the Subban family thrived and balanced the responsibilities of life and hockey. Subban noted in a presser, “We had to spend half the year at school and the other half at juniors. It was really tough but I loved the challenge.” P.K eventually climbed the ladder from the AHL to success in the big leagues, but he hasn’t forgotten where he’s come from. Subban’s hard-hitting, hard-working mentality might cause clashes between the boards, but opponents and teammates both have respected his actions and personality. Due to this, P.K became a finalist for the King Clancy Award for philantrophy and respect. Losing to the Sedin brothers, Subban made a name for himself as a praised blue-liner. His persevering mentality is most evident when viewing his social media, with his Instagram account becoming one of the most viewed and followed amongst hockey players, and workout videos going viral. Subban is also renowned for his philanthropical work. His charity, Blue-Line-Buddies, has been noted as one of the most successful charities in the NHL. His donations have been tremendous throughout his career. By 2022, P.K Subban looks to donate 10 million dollars to a Montreal hospital. It has been called “the biggest philanthropic commitment by a sports figure in Canadian history.” In addition to these works, Subban has had outstanding donations to the Air Canada charities, and various other works. His work off the ice has demonstrated his value as an athlete, outside the creases, but an unprecedented move this off-season would make on-ice headlines throughout the end of June.
June 22nd opened up and Subban found out the news of his move directly at the Nashville front office. He had been dealt with New Jersey for players and picks. His time with the Preds had quite the ups and downs, with some of the highs being a spot in the Stanley Cup finals, eventually losing to the Penguins. However, after a first-round exit though being a one seed, changes seemed to be coming for Nashville, a team that was on the brink of greatness but was now hugging the precipice. One guy that had to go first was defenseman P.K Subban. Subban, now 30, has turned himself into one of the great stars of the sport, putting together all-star berths, a Norris Trophy, and racking up points. Subban was drafted by Montreal in the second round when he was 18 and played in the AHL until he was called up during the playoffs. He then spent a long time with his childhood team in the Habs, becoming an Assistant Captain, and the face of a city. However, in 2016 he was moved in a trade to Nashville for Shea Weber in a blockbuster deal. Moving into his prime, Subban continued to perform. In Nashville, he headlined a hard-hitting contender that never made it all the way. Again in 2019, he saw himself soon to be on the move. He was dealt to Jersey in a blockbuster move, invigorating free agency and causing a chain of additional moves. First, the open salary room helped Nashville sign Matt Duchene to bolster the top line, and it pushed the rival Rangers to answer back by signing the biggest guy on the market, Artemi Panarin. Jersey and New York both looked to be rebuilding but now moves by each team have sped up the process Subban was excited for his move to New Jersey. “It’s the next chapter,” he states “[and] I want to win a Stanley Cup, and I want to win it in Jersey.” Accompanied by Hall of Famer Marty Brodeur, executives, and hundreds of fans, Subban made it clear he intended to succeed in Jersey. He wants to win, he wants to succeed, and he wants to be a leader. “I want to win, and that means we need to practice hard, skate hard, and play the brand of hockey I’ve seen in New Jersey during my career.”
