REPORT: P.K Subban is having a hard time getting a new contract

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Ryan
July 30, 2022 (7:23 PM)

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PK Subban was drafted 43rd overall back in 2007 by the Montreal Canadiens. He played 7 years in Montreal and signed a massive deal with the team valued at $72,000,000 over 8 years ($9 million cap hit). After signing this deal he played two seasons with the Habs and then was traded to the Nashville Predators in exchange for Shea Weber. At the time this was a blockbuster trade that absolutely no one saw coming and everyone believed the Canadiens were crazy.

In the 2012-13 season, Subban won the Norris trophy as the leagues best defenceman after he put up 11 goals and 38 points in 42 games during the NHL lockout shortened season.

After the trade with Nashville, Subban went on to play 3 seasons with the Predators, making it all the way to the finals in his first year with them.

On June 22nd 2019, he was again traded to the New Jersey Devils, where he played out the remainder of his contract. During his time with the Devils, Subban's play has dropped off a cliff. He went from a defenceman who would consistently 10+ goals and 40+ points to not even averaging 20 points. Over his 3 seasons with the Devils he was a combined -45 plus/minus.

Subban is now 33 and looking for a new contract, which according to a quote by his agent Don Meehan, is not coming easily:

P.K. just came back from vacation and I talked to him today about the free-agency marketplace and I've indicated to him that we've had expressions of interest. I've told him that there are teams moving money assessing what kind of cap space they have, analyzing their depth scenarios to determine just exactly what they can do. Some of these issues are in play as we speak, so I can't get a definitive response from some teams in terms of moving ahead, but I have had expressions of interest for him to date. But the teams that have expressed interest aren't in a position to offer a contract now because they've got other things in play.

He wants to play, I can tell you that. But I think at this stage in his career he would want to play somewhere that would provide a good opportunity for him. Without sounding too aggressive, I think he's earned the privilege to be somewhat selective in terms of where he would play so that it works for the team and it works for him. In other words, he doesn't just want to play anywhere. He has that measure of independence.

From the sounds of it, we will most likely be seeing a ''prove it'' deal with Subban.