Trading P.K. Subban
from Adam Proteau of The Hockey News,
Not all that long ago, the idea that an available P.K. Subban would be ignored by NHL GMs seeking to improve their defense was a laughable one.
The veteran and multi-time all-star had an on-ice talent as immense as his personality, and teams that employed him were able to command a notable amount of assets in return for him in a trade.
Today, though, Subban is nearing the end of the eight-year, $72-million contract he signed with the Montreal Canadiens in 2014 – and as the NHL’s March 21 trade deadline looms large, you don’t hear a peep of his name in rumors. At age 32, and now, as a New Jersey Devil, Subban has declined as an offensive force – he has just three goals and 18 points while averaging 19:10 of ice time in 53 games this season – and he was never an elite defender to begin with. Lately, he’s become more famous for being a slew-footer than anything else. And the idea he was going to be offered anywhere close to his current $9-million salary to remain in New Jersey is preposterous.
“I sat down with P.K. yesterday, and we talked about uncertainty, and the deadline, and that we're not at a spot where we're looking to extend him at this point," Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald told The Athletic this weekend. “He’s done a lot for community here and the organization. But I told him, ‘On the last day (before the trade deadline), somebody may lose a right-shot ‘D’ and may call me, and if the move makes sense for the New Jersey Devils and makes sense for you to potentially have a chance to win, I have to do what's best for the organization.”
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