P.K. Subban played seven seasons with the Montreal Canadiens, and despite the franchise’s rich history, few players left such a lasting imprint in such a short period of time.
The fans at the Bell Centre demonstrated as much when Subban was honoured ahead of a game against the Nashville Predators Thursday, four months since the 33-year-old announced his retirement.
As Subban stepped onto the ice, Canadiens fans serenaded their former star with loud chants of “P-K, P-K, P-K!” before he made a speech thanking Montreal for all its support.
It’s a reception that, after his thrilling years in Montreal, Subban likely anticipated.
“To the fans … I’ve always felt we had an understanding, when you wear the Montreal Canadiens jersey, when you wear the CH, that you play with the same passion that you fans bring every single night to this building,” Subban said.
“All I wanted to do every time I put that jersey on was play with that passion”
To end his speech, Subban brought out Canadiens goaltender Carey Price for one last triple-low five handshake.
Drafted 43rd overall by the Canadiens in 2007, Subban captured the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenceman in 2013, earning his first NHL First All-Star Team selection that year, an honour he also received in 2015.
Off the ice, Subban was recognized for his work in the community after pledging $10 million to the Montreal Children’s Hospital in 2015, one year after he started the P.K. Subban Foundation.
He signed an eight-year, $72-million contract extension with the Canadiens in 2015, however, Subban was traded to the Predators for fellow star defenceman Shea Weber before his no-trade clause kicked in.
Subban spent three seasons with the Predators and reached the Stanley Cup Final during his first year with the club.
Nashville traded Subban to the New Jersey Devils on June 22, 2019, for Steven Santini, Jeremy Davies, and two second-round draft picks.
The 33-year-old from Toronto also represented Canada on several occasions winning back-to-back world junior championships in 2008 and 2009 and an Olympic gold medal at the Sochi Winter Games in 2014.
