P. K.’ s success inspires, but brother Jordan aims to make own mark in NHL
You might think Jordan Subban would be the poster child for sibling rivalry.
His oldest brother, P. K., after all, just won the Norris Trophy as the National Hockey League’s best defenceman. And his other brother, Malcolm the goalie, was a first- round draft pick of the Boston Bruins last summer.
Jordan, who was selected by the Canucks in the fourth round ( 115th overall) of the NHL draft last week, clearly has some big footsteps to try to follow. But that doesn’t seem to faze the 18- year- old one bit.
“It’s great having two brothers who are successful and have been able to give me advice, especially going into my first camp,” Jordan said after he and the rest of the Canuck prospects spent some time Wednesday afternoon visiting patients at BC Children’s Hospital.
A defenceman like his big brother P. K., Jordan knows people will look for comparisons. But he doesn’t feel any pressure to be like his brother.
“I don’t think I have to try to differentiate myself,” he said. “If you watch us both play you will see the differences in our games, but it never hurts to be compared to a Norris Trophy winner and although he is my brother I am still grateful for the comparisons because of the success that he’s had in the league. I mean, I’ll take it, but obviously we are different players.
“I think there are some similarities and some differences there. We are both competitive and we both love the game. I realize my role and I try to stay focused out there and not interact with players maybe as much as he does, just stay focused and do what I need to do to be successful.”
Subban said he and P. K talk almost every day.
“He just continues to give me advice and wants to know what is happening and how everything is going. He is a great player, really supportive and I am really happy to have him there whenever I need to talk to him ... I think some people get P. K.’ s confidence confused with cockiness sometimes. We are all confident and we all love the game and we just play hard.”
P. K. thinks his little brother has a chance to be the family’s best player.
“Jordan plays more of a cerebral type of game and is more of a thinker and I play off my instincts and try to do a little bit of everything,” P. K. Subban told NHL. com recently. “I think Jordan’s skill level is much higher than mine. I’m on the ice with him every day during the summer doing skill stuff and he’s the one demonstrating the skills.
Jordan Subban and the rest of the Canuck prospects have been in town all week for prospects development camp. The week has been more than just about on- ice scrimmages and practices. On Tuesday, they went dragon- boat racing in False Creek. On Wednesday morning, they did the Grouse Grind. Subban, nursing an undisclosed minor injury, missed the climb up Grouse Mountain.
“I heard some scary stories,” he said. “Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to do it but hopefully I’ll have another chance.”
Subban played the last two seasons with the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League, where he was a teammate of Brendan Gaunce, Vancouver’s first- round pick in 2012 and the Bulls’ captain. His brother Malcolm tended goal for the Bulls.
Like his brother P. K., Jordan has an offensive side to his game. He had 15 goals and 51 points in 65 games this past season. The Bulls made it all the way to Game 7 of the conference final.
“I am a right- handed shot on the point, I like to contribute as much as I can offensively and on the power play,” Jordan said. “I still like to think I am responsible in my own end and I can play in my own end. But I like joining the rush and moving the puck up to my forwards as quickly as I can.”
As a fourth- round pick, he figures to be something of a project. No one questions his skill level, but his size is a question mark. Subban is just 5- foot- 9 and 175 pounds.
Jordan figures to be at training camp in September and the rookie camp in Penticton that precedes it, but will almost certainly spend at least one more season in junior with the Bulls.