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I grew up just north of Toronto, in an area called the GTA (Greater Toronto Area). Sports have always been big here, and the region has developed some top quality professional hockey players. These guys have always had the support of their hometowns, and as a Canadian hockey fan we tend to root for our home grown players. One of these guys stands out in my mind more than the rest, P.K Subban.
P.K exploded on the the NHL scene in Montreal and has been a polarizing player his entire career. That is to say, you either love him and the larger than life personality he brings to the league, or you hate the fact that he brings drama to the league. The reason for this is pretty clear: P.K has fun on the ice. He’s flashy, he gets under the opposing teams skin and from time to time he says things that rub people the wrong way (Sydney Crosby in the Stanley Cup Finals?)
While I can sympathize with those who complain about his on ice personality, I don’t believe that it has the negative effect on the game that people say it does. You’ve got to remember, this isn’t a guy like Raffi Torres, Matt Cooke or Ilya Bryzgalov. He’s not out there head hunting or stirring up drama. The highlight of his career isn’t talking about how humongous big the universe is (sorry Ilya). This is a guy who week in and week out brings everything he has to his team, to his city. I mean, he did donate close to 10 million to a children’s hospital in Montreal. This is a guy with serious NHL talent, just take a look at this play:
P.K executes this with such finesse it almost looks scripted. It seems effortless, like he’s just out there having fun (which he is). He’s different than hockey personalities of the past. He draws fans to his games not because we’re waiting for his next dirty hit, but because we can’t wait to see what he does tonight. His trash talking is calculated, every little bit plays into a larger plan. His celebrations targeted at the other team in a way that screams “this is easy” but some how doesn’t come off as arrogant. He’s unique in this aspect of his game.
Although his personality has gotten him into some trouble in his career (his trade from Montreal was nothing short of insanity) P.K is hard to dislike. This is someone who has always put the game first. He doesn’t stop trying in a loss, he even gets physically upset when his own play is poor. His teammates love him, his city’s love him, an artist in Montreal even painted this mural upon his departure:
I’ve had the pleasure of meeting P.K on several occasions. I went out to Belleville Bull games whenever they came to town just to watch him play. I’ve met his brothers Malcolm and Jordan, as well as his father and one thing hold true to all of them: they are genuine. What you see is what you get with these guys and what you get is an all around good person who believes in his sport. He believes in support the communities that develop and nurture future NHLers, and he leads by example.
P.K may be polarizing, his on ice antics may put him at odds with some NHL fans, but there is not a doubt in my mind that he is good for the league. He draws crowds, people want to see him play. Sure he’s got a big mouth, and I’d agree that some of his celebrations are a little excessive, but it’s all in good fun. That’s why we play sports isn’t it? He sets a good example to our hockey youth: Work hard, play hard, have fun and give back. The NHL needs more players like P.K, who wouldn’t want to see more of this?