Ex-Canadien back in city for on-ice fundraiser
Former Canadien back in town for events to support Children’s Hospital
The email offering details of the Subban Defence Clinic was prefaced by the note: “P.K. Subban, returning home to host a clinic for an incredible cause.”
It has been more than two years since the Canadiens traded Subban to the Nashville Predators, but he made it clear Saturday that Montreal still holds a special place in his heart.
“I came to Montreal in 2007 when I was drafted and it’s been a long time to be coming to a city and building relationships, and I come back every year to do my hockey school and my gala,” Subban said as he took a break from his weekend camp for youngsters at the Sportplexe Pierrefonds. “It’s pretty special to still have that relationship in a city you’ve played in and it’s definitely a city I call home.
“I came here as a young man and there were people here who shaped and moulded me,” Subban said. “That’s one of the reasons why I want to come back and want to give back to the city.”
Subban’s bond to the city is anchored in his relationship with the Montreal Children’s Hospital. He was introduced to the hospital during the Canadiens’ annual visits at Christmastime. He became a more frequent visitor, forming relationships with the youngsters and, in 2015, he pledged to help raise $10 million for the hospital.
The hospital foundation will benefit from the proceeds of the weekend camp and from a Caribbean-themed gala that will held Thursday at Jetée Alexandra in the Old Port. To date, Subban’s efforts have raised $3 million and have touched the lives of 2,500 families.
Subban said he doesn’t have as much access to the youngsters and their families because he’s playing in Nashville, but he noted his efforts have encouraged others to step up and become involved.
Subban’s career has been marked by an infectious joie de vivre.
“I don’t see it as a job,” he said. “It’s fun to play a game you love, but when you go to the Bell Centre it’s a special place to play. It almost supersedes the NHL, There are certain arenas, Nashville being one of them now, (where) it feels different. Montreal has that ability to provide a special environment for a player and I got really excited to play here. Every day when I was on the ice, I tried to give everything I could, especially on Saturday nights.”
Subban remains popular in Montreal and he was greeted by chants of P-K, P-K as he joined the youngsters on the ice Saturday morning.
“That’s the thing about kids, they’re innocent and what you see is what you get,” Subban said. “They tell you exactly how they feel. If they don’t like you, you’re going to know; if they like you, you’re going to know. This is a short camp and we’re just trying to have some fun. We’re working on some simple, basic skills. This year, I’m out there in full equipment and I’m sure it was a great experience for those kids to see an NHL player in full equipment.”
It’s easy to keep up with Subban because his presence on social media reflects his larger-than-life