PK Subban has always been a polarizing figure for the Montreal Canadiens. Fans like his flashy moves and breathtaking rushes (even though they drive his coaches nuts). Fans like his brash nature and supreme self-confidence (even though they drive his opponents nuts).
But with the Habs collecting just one win in their first five games and Subban struggling throughout, fewer and fewer are enjoying the PK Show. It’s starting to drive everybody nuts.
Case in point: Montreal’s 6-5 loss to Colorado on Saturday night. After Avs F David Jones had just scored to tie the game at two, Subban tried to skate the puck through the neutral zone -- despite being the last man back:
Yikes.
To be fair, Montreal is putting a lot of responsibility on the 22-year-old rearguard. Subban’s playing a whopping 24:55 a night thanks to injuries to fellow blueliners Andrei Markov, Jaroslav Spacek and Chris Campoli and, lest we forget, only has 83 games of NHL experience under his belt.
He’s cognizant of his struggles -- “I definitely haven’t played my best, but sometimes things happen and you don’t know why,” he told TSN -- but has zero interest in altering his game. Here’s what he said about the ill-fated move that led to Paul Stastny’s go-ahead marker:
“If I make that move and I beat the guy and go in and score, no one’s going to say anything,” said Subban. “But I turned it over and obviously you’re going to get flack for it.”
Give Subban credit. He knows the stakes but is sticking to his guns.
For now, anyway.