P.K. Subban announced his retirement from the NHL on Tuesday following 13 seasons in the league.
Subban finishes his career with 115 goals and 467 points in 834 games.
“I remember my dreams of playing in the NHL and winning a Stanley Cup, similar to the guys on the Don Cherry Rock’em Sock’em tapes at the end of every volume, with the black eyes, broken bones, and tears of joy. To this day, I still dream about it,” Subban wrote on his Instagram account.
“However, the end of this chapter is closing and after 13 years in the NHL, I have made the decision to retire.
“I never looked at myself or ever felt I was “just a hockey player.” I always looked at myself as a person who happened to play hockey. Having that perspective allowed me to enjoy every shift like it was my last, celebrate every goal with emotion, and play every game as if someone paid to watch me play who had never seen me play before.”
Drafted in the second round, 43rd overall, by the Montreal Canadiens in 2007, Subban spent his first seven seasons with the Habs and captured the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenceman in 2013. Subban also made his first NHL First All-Star Team selection that year, an honour he also received in 2015.
He signed an eight-year, $72 million contract extension with the Canadiens in 2015, however, Subban was traded to the Nashville 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.
“To an amazing league that gave me the opportunity to compete at the highest level with some of the best athletes in the world. The NHL also provided me with a platform that allowed me to give back through my charities,” Subban said. “A sincere thank you to the many players that I either played with or competed against who brought out the best in me. A heartfelt appreciation to the Montreal Canadians, Nashville Predators and New Jersey Devils for each representing organizations with class and integrity.”
Subban had five goals and 22 points in 77 games last season and became an unrestricted free agent for the first time this summer.
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.
Subban received the King Clancy Memorial Trophy this year with NHL.com citing his commitment “to racial and social justice, underserved youth, COVID-19 relief and youth hockey.” A four-time finalist for the trophy, Subban pledged $10 million to the Montreal Children’s Hospital in 2015, one year after starting the P.K. Subban Foundation.
