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P.K. Subban: Mature and Ready to Lead

By Mat Germain

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P.K. Subban: Mature and Ready to Lead

He may not have been chosen as the Montreal Canadiens Captain this offseason, but P.K. Subban has shown us a level of maturity that goes beyond what happens on the ice. From the way he’s handled the Captaincy issue, to how charitable he has become in his beloved Montreal, Subban now exemplifies what a leadership is all about. You don’t need to see him wear a C on his shirt to know that he’s going to be counted on to lead the way for all Habs defensemen this season.

May 9, 2015; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens forward Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau (15) celebrates with teammates P.K. Subban (76) and

Andrei Markov

(79) after scoring a goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the third period in game five of the second round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

At this time last season, P.K. Subban lobbied to become the next Habs Captain. He believed he had earned that right, stating the following:

"“Added responsibility to me makes a player better, and I think I’ve accomplished a lot in a short time in this league and I’ve earned the respect of my peers and my opponents to command the respect that a captain deserves. I really believe that I’ve earned a lot of respect in this league, both on and off the ice.”"

While he didn’t get his wish, instead being forced to embrace his team mate as he gained the C, he had garnered a lot of praise for his $10M donation to the Montreal Children’s Hospital, where they named an Atrium after him. When that event took place, many thought it could lead to a Captain’s appointment. It didn’t. Subban, instead, had to swallow his pride knowing that his team mates, the guys he goes into battle with, evaluated his talents and those of his team mate, and they chose him to lead them into the season. But in reality, does it really matter? Should he feel shunned? Not at all.

Guy Lafleur was never named the Habs Captain despite being their best player for years. A Captain is not necessarily representative of the best player on the team. A lot of times, people – and players – value communication skills more than skill. The ability to show up every night and to not take a day off also fits into the description, but communication with players, and in hockey with referees, is key. Therein lies the issue of appointing Subban to be Captain.

If you don’t yet know about Subban and his relationship with referees, read this post by Andrew Berkshire which depicts how Kerry Fraser points to a bias against Subban by NHL referees. When you combine that bias with actions such as the slash against Mark Stone at a critical point in the season, you can easily understand why most players in the room made the decision to go with Max Pacioretty instead.

Now, that’s not to say that P.K. Subban wouldn’t have made an excellent Captain. I truly believe that once he donned the C, Subban would have been a different player. He would have taken the honour on with pride and really stepped up his check on emotions to play smarter hockey. But does that make him a better player? Isn’t Subban at his best when he’s playing with guns blazing’?

I’m actually relieved that he didn’t get the Captaincy. If he were to get another kick at it in the future, I believe he could still earn that right. However, I sincerely believe that as an Assistant Captain leading the blue liners in minutes every single game, he is already leading the charge. There is no defenseman with more responsibility than Subban in Montreal, and now going into his 6th full season of NHL hockey, at only 26 years old, he’s ready to be the leader on his defensive pairing as well.

That’s the main reason I want to chat about his maturity and leadership abilities: who will he be paired with for the majority of the 2015-16 season? Is it time to separate him from Andrei Markov and place Markov alongside someone else? A more balanced approach to defensive pairings could go a long way to allowing both Subban and Markov the opportunity the bring less experienced Habs D under their wings. Besides, why have two Assistant Captains playing together every single shift?

Let’s assume for a moment that Michel Therrien wants to separate Subban and Markov. What are the likely pairings going to look like?

P.K. Subban – Nathan Beaulieu

Jeff Petry – Andrei Markov

Tom Gilbert – Alexei Emelin

If we examine the possible pairings above, we can see a more balanced approach to the defensive pairings. Here are the few reasons I feel the changes could be made with benefits:

1st Pair: Subban and Beaulieu

  • Subban loves to carry the puck and needs a more stay-at-home type to play with as a result. Beaulieu also carries the bonus of having an excellent shot, something that allows the pair to fire at will. Beaulieu is also younger than Markov, possibly making it easier for him to match the minutes being placed on Subban’s shoulders.

2nd Pair: Petry and Markov

  • While lowering Markov’s minutes slightly may benefit him and minimize the chances he’ll run out of gas in the playoffs (something I think we saw), he is still an excellent player and shouldn’t be placed on the third pairing. What I like in this case is that Petry also loves to carry the puck and can benefit from Markov’s offensive flair. Petry could still learn a few things from Markov as well and may get better opportunities on the PP.

3rd Pair: Gilbert and Emelin

  • I listed these two as the third pairing, but both are facing stiff competition from young players like Greg Pateryn, Jarred Tinordi, and Brett Lernout. The first two in particular will likely see some playing time throughout the season. What I like about this pair is that they are physical and defensively sound. Should Pateryn play instead of Gilbert, his being paired with Emelin would have players from opposing team heads up at the blue line for fear of being crushed. Essentially, this would become a shut down pairing that wears down opposing lines.

P.K. Subban has shown the ability to lead by example off the ice this year and may have had his last on ice major lesson learned when he saw the reaction to his wrist hack on Mark Stone. Since then, his demeanour, actions, and approach to the team as a whole has been nothing but remarkable. He’s earned the praise of Madam Béliveau, he’s seen what it takes to earn the Captaincy, and he’s ready to lead the Montreal Canadiens to its 25th Stanley Cup regardless of the letter on his jersey. As he so aptly stated:

A defensive pairing with someone like Beaulieu would even out the defensive corps, would show Subban is mature and ready to lead, and would indicate the Habs are ready to watch him pass on his knowledge to younger players. While he didn’t get the C on his jersey that he coveted in 2014, and that was the right call by the players, it’s time to pass the defensive leadership torch from Markov to Subban and let him prove he can bring someone else’s play to a new level. He may now have a C on his jersey, but in my humble opinion, he, Brendan Gallagher, and Carey Price are the heart and soul of the Montreal Canadiens.

P.K. Subban: Mature and Ready to Lead.

Next: Montreal Canadiens Drive for 25: P.K. Subban is Superman

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