Back in town
Subban expects ‘fun atmosphere’ in tonight’s return to Bell Centre
No one expected P.K. Subban to slide quietly into town for his first game against the Montreal Canadiens, but what a splash the flashy defenceman made on Wednesday.
It stated with receiving a medal from the governor general of Canada for his charity work and continued with a packed news conference at the Bell Centre.
“It’s a privilege to play in the NHL and it’s a privilege to be a player who is traded out of Montreal and still have this type of support,” the Nashville Predators rearguard said. “Talk to a lot of guys who have been traded, I don’t think they would be standing up here doing a press conference when they come back.
“So I’m very honoured and happy to know that, in the Mecca of hockey, fans still support me and are behind me.”
How much they remain on Subban’s side will be seen tonight when Subban plays his first game against the team he played for from 2009 to last June 29, when he was dealt to Nashville for Shea Weber in a straight-up trade of all-star defenceman.
Canadiens who are traded away are often booed on their return, but it may be different for Subban.
“I don’t think it’s fair to try to anticipate how you’re going to feel,” he sad. “You wait for the moment and take it in.
“My focus will be on the two points, but obviously I look forward to playing in a building and in front of fans that I played in for so long. Some big games and some fun games. Probably the thing I look forward to most is hopefully seeing Madame Beliveau there.”
Subban was a favourite of Elise Beliveau, the widow of Canadiens great Jean Beliveau who still attends many games.
The trade was a stunning move by general manager Marc Bergevin, who was looking to change up a team that collapsed after goalie Carey Price was injured early in the 2015-16 campaign.
The trade is still hotly debated among Montreal fans, some who feel the team will regret losing the younger, quicker Subban and others glad to get the bigger and well-respected Weber.
Subban missed the first meeting with Montreal on Jan. 3 in Nashville with an upper body injury. Weber scored a goal before his former home fans in the 2-1 Canadiens win, which was mainly marked by the booing of former Predator Alexander Radulov on his return to his former home.
So far, the 31-year-old Weber holds a slight edge with 14 goals, 37 points and a plus-9 in 64 games for Montreal, while 27-year-old Subban has eight goals, 30 points and is minus-6 in 47 games as a Predator.
But Subban only got his game going after returning from his injury in late January. He has 12 points in the last 10 games, in which Nashville went 6-3-1.