On P.K. Subban, Montreal Canadiens and revenge

What do you like about Nashville, P.K. Subban?

“When I was in Montreal, I thought the women were really good-looking here. And they are. But Nashville’s got some really good-looking ladies,” said Subban, flashing a smirk to the reporters assembled in Montreal.

Subban returned to Bell Centre for the first time since The Trade on Thursday night, as a member of the Nashville Predators, whose recent play (6-3-1, four wins in a row) has made this reunion a hell of a lot more comfortable than if the Preds were teetering on the playoff bubble while the Habs were leading the Atlantic.

He returns to a city he loves. Not loved, but loves.

“The first emotion that I feel is excitement. To come back and see everybody. Really, just to be back at the Bell Centre again and in a community where I basically grew up,” he said.

He returns as a conquering hero.

Subban was given a Meritorious Service Decoration from Gov. Gen. David Johnson for his charity work in Canada, including that $10 million pledge to aid families through Montreal Children’s Hospital, which called it “the biggest philanthropic commitment by a sports figure in Canadian history.”

He returns, as per his legacy with the Canadiens, with some level of controversy.

The site 25Stanley.com thought his reference to Mike Fisher and Roman Josi accompanying him to the hospital – saying it was something “none of my teammates” ever did before – was a shot at the Canadiens. Meanwhile, Montreal is apparently breaking protocol and giving Subban a pregame video tribute rather than one during the game:

Because, you know, that can be a long two minutes:

He returns seven months after The Trade, with pundits still litigating it (as Five Thirty Eight did this week) and the media doing its best to craft a revenge narrative for Subban.

“Revenge is the wrong word,” he responded to a reporter’s question on Wednesday.

How about mad?

“I don’t know about mad.”

Upset?

“No,” said Subban, wincing. “This is a business. You gotta go with the flow.”

There is something that irritates him, though.

“The only thing I would be upset about was that I made a promise to the fans, the city and the organization that I would bring the Stanley Cup back,” he said.

And that’s what Subban misses about Montreal: That is what was taken away from him. Like Edmonton was taken away from Taylor Hall. That the mission wasn’t accomplished and, furthermore, that the team only felt the mission could be accomplished by shipping him out for Shea Weber.

He misses that singular mission he was on with best friend and teammate Carey Price: Bringing the Stanley Cup back to Montreal for the first time since 1993. Joining the legends of the franchise who accomplished this, rather than simply being one of the great players who hadn’t.

“You don’t have to see the ice to see what this building means. You just have to look up in the rafters,” said Subban.

He misses commanding an entire city’s attention, and feeling the pulse of that city quicken as it approaches puck drop for a huge game. “There’s a tremendous amount of energy in the city. And that’s what you play for. There’s always a buzz in Montreal. Whenever you get games like this that have more meaning, you always get up for it,” he said.

He misses Bell Centre. “The smell. The smell of hot dogs. I miss that,” he said.

None of this is to say he doesn’t love Nashville, love the fans, love his teammates, love being a Predator. None of this is to say he doesn’t love the music, the food and, well, the scenery.

But this was his NHL life until last summer. Bringing a Stanley Cup to Montreal was his life’s mission until last summer.

This isn’t normal. Yet. But it will be. Especially after the Montreal fans give him the reception we assume they will.

‘It’s a mix of emotions. But I’m a pro,” said Subban.
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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon and wherever books are sold.

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