Montreal Canadiens: The Day Fans Drew a Line in the Sand
It was a shocking day when the Montreal Canadiens traded P.K. Subban, and it looks like that is still the reason Marc Bergevin has lost favour with the fans.
Say what you want about Montreal Canadiens fans, but you can’t deny how much they love their team. The passion they have for the players and the organization is one of the best in the league. When it’s going well, they’ll be there front and center to support the Canadiens. However when it’s not going too well, they’ll be the first to say something about it.
A big trend on Twitter and Habs fans sites has been the future of GM Marc Bergevin. Despite acquiring Jonathan Drouin, and resigning Alex Galchenyuk and Carey Price, it’s been somewhat of an underwhelming off-season. The biggest story is not what who they acquired, but who they lost.
If you look at any of these posts or tweets, there’s a certain comment that always comes up. “They lost me after the P.K. Subban trade”. Bergevin has made a lot of decisions that Habs fans haven’t supported during his five years with the team, however the Subban trade is one that has a lot of emotion behind it.
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The Trade
There was a lot of speculation around the 2016 NHL Draft around Subban. The Habs had just finished a very disappointing season with 82 points which had them sixth in the Atlantic. Many knew that change was coming, but they didn’t know what.
On June 29th, Subban was sent to Nashville for Shea Weber. Despite what Bergevin said at the draft that he was not shopping the defenceman, he was dealt.
For some, the return on the deal was disappointing. As good as a defenceman Weber was, he was on a decline opposed to Subban who was entering his prime. For many, they were furious to see Subban traded at all.
The 28-year-old was more than a player for the city of Montreal. He meant so much to the city and was loved by all the fans.
Check out the P.K. Subban Atrium, a 486-square-meter, three-story public space located at the heart of the hospital. pic.twitter.com/8jCYnqcVh4
— Fondation du Children-The Children's Foundation (@FondChildren) September 16, 2015
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You don’t keep a player because they’re a fan favourite. In his 434 games, Subban had 63 goals and 215 assists for 278 points. He was also recognized as the league’s best defenceman in 2013 with the Norris Trophy.
Fast forward to 2017, and there is a belief among fans that Bergevin is not getting the job done. Many are frustrated that they couldn’t come to terms with Alexander Radulov, or bring other fan-favourite Andrei Markov back for another year or two.
The Subban trade may have made it easier for Habs fans to distrust any of Bergevin’s decisions. For what it’s worth, Bergevin doesn’t really have any reason to care what the fan base thinks of him. All he has to worry about is making the right deals to improve the team. With that being said, hopefully some of the anger towards the organization can mellow out after a strong season with some solid moves.
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Are you still upset about the Subban trade? Do you think Bergevin is still the man for the job? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
Player stats from Hockey-Reference.com