PK Subban expects to be overwhelmed with emotion when he is introduced to the Bell Center crowd on Thursday.
The former Montreal Canadiens defenseman, now retired, will be honored before the game between the Habs and the team to which he was traded for Shea Weber on June 29, 2016, the Nashville Predators.
Subban shed tears on his first return to Montreal in a Predators uniform on March 2, 2017.
“It hasn’t happened often in my career to be upset or uncomfortable,” Subban told The Canadian Press. I’m more comfortable playing in the Stanley Cup Finals than standing in front of 20,000 people and absorbing all those emotions, even if it’s for good reason.
“I don’t know what to expect, but I can’t wait,” he added.
Subban acknowledges that not everything was rosy during his seven-year stint with the Canadiens. There were the highs of playoff appearances and his campaign that won him the Norris Trophy, given to the NHL’s most valuable defenseman. But there were also tough times, especially when it came to promoting himself off the ice and being himself in a fairly conservative world.
The 33-year-old Ontarian has already claimed that the NHL was not ready for PK Subban when he made his debut with the Canadiens in February 2010. At this level, Subban does not believe that the issue was necessarily linked to racism, but rather to “placism”, that is to say the fact that he did not want to fit into the typical mold of the hockey player and had to be put in his place by the leaders, coaches or veterans.
Its authenticity, however, captured the imagination of supporters, even if it was also polarizing.
PK the owner?
Now with plenty of time to focus on giving back to the game that made it popular, Subban encourages inclusion and diversity at all levels of hockey. In addition to being an ESPN network analyst, he is currently an ambassador for the Kraft Hockeyville program, which contributes to the renovation of arenas in communities across Canada. The application period for the 2023 edition of the competition is in fact underway and will end on February 19 at 11:59 p.m.
“What I want to create is optimism around our sport and improving the culture of our sport,” Subban said. And just as a tree feeds off the ground through its roots, hockey must also be built starting in local communities with a focus on inclusion and accessibility.
“In Canada, hockey is so important that it can be a factor of social change,” he added.
But Subban’s biggest dream right now is to own an NHL team. He took a first step towards this goal by participating in the adventure of Angel City FC, in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).
“I want to be part of the solution. I want to be in a position to educate people who have been involved in hockey longer than I have,” Subban explained. I want to continue to promote the rich history of the NHL, but also participate in the next chapter.
“To get there, you sometimes have to reach a position where your words will have a greater impact. And it’s not just about being able to speak at Board of Governors meetings. It is also by investing in adventure. If you invest, people will understand that you want to see the sport flourish and the league succeed. I hope to have this opportunity one day. »
This does not mean that Subban will take advantage of his time in Montreal to talk business with Geoff Molson, “but what a story that would be! “, he admits. For now, Subban is just looking forward to seeing people he knew during the most emotional time of his career.