In honour of Montreal’s best defenceman’s 27th birthday, let’s take a look at the top ten reasons why he is both an awesome hockey player, an awesome human being and just awesome in general.
A fan favourite among Canadiens fans, the former 43rd overall pick has accomplished a lot with Montreal over the years.
Some Honourable Mentions: Don Cherry impression, kissing Pierre McGuire, Team Canada post-victory video
10. Just how awesome is P.K. Subban? So awesome that the fact he won the Norris Trophy only ranks 10th on this list. Subban put up 38 points in 42 games during the lockout shortened season, and became only the sixth defenseman in Canadiens history to win the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2013.
9. Because only P.K. Subban can win a breakaway contest while dressed like Jaromir Jagr.
8. Subban is no stranger to representing Canada at the international stage, and has three gold medals to show for it. He was a member of Team Canada’s 2008 and 2009 World Junior squads, and was named to Team Canada’s Olympic roster in 2014 as well.
His friendship with New York Islanders captain John Tavares during the tournament also led to this memorable interview.
7. Between the triple-low fives and bugging Carey Price, the ultra-competitive duels against Brendan Gallagher and hugging it out with Max Pacioretty, watching Subban with his teammates is a treat!
6. Unlike the average hockey player who speaks only in clichés, P.K. Subban isn’t afraid to speak his mind. And this has led to some great quotes over the years.
Only P.K. Subban can mess with Chris Pronger, silence his critics, and declare that he was going to help Montreal win the Stanley Cup from the moment that he was drafted, and not sound like an automaton in the process.
Oh, and remember this little chestnut?
“I can’t wait for the crowd, the noise, the energy in the building. I can’t wait to take that all away from them.”
– P.K. Subban on Game 7
— ESPN (@espn) May 14, 2014
5. Because P.K. Subban’s hockey is the best type of hockey (regardless of what Don Cherry might want you to believe).
4. Despite the constant swirl of controversies that seem to unfairly follow him around, Subban has been nothing but a consummate professional when addressing them.
Whether it be dealing with racist opposing fans, rumours of a locker room rift, or the ire of his coach, Subban continues to diffuse difficult situations with poise and class. And often with a touch of humour as well!
3. When it comes to the playoffs, P.K. Subban elevates his play to another level. Having scored 38 points in 55 career playoff games, he has led the Canadiens in playoff scoring for the last three seasons.
Relive some good times by watching Subban turn Pittsburgh’s playoff hopes, Tampa Bay’s playoff hopes and Ottawa’s playoff hopes into dust!
2. The Hockey Gods have blessed P.K. Subban with the ability to drive the Boston Bruins insane.
It’s almost seems like every time the Bruins play the Habs, Subban feeds off of Boston’s hostility and uses that energy to crush his opponent.
Case in point, this:
And this:
And who can forget this:
And this doesn’t even include the time he destroyed Brad Marchand, scored his first regular season goal against them, or drove noted tough guy Shawn Thornton into acting more idiotically than usual.
Seriously, at this point its safe to say that Subban just might be the living incarnation of every Bruins fan’s worst nightmare. And Canadiens fans love him all the more for it.
1. But despite his accomplishments on the ice, it’s what he does off the ice that truly puts Subban in a class of his own.
P.K. Subban has been generous with both his time and his money when it comes to giving back to the community. His philanthropic endeavours include helping more kids play hockey, supporting the Breast Cancer Society of Canada and surprising his young fans, time and time again.
And to top it all off, Subban made a record breaking $10 million donation to the Montreal Children’s Hospital this season!
P.K. Subban’s commitment to Montreal, speaks volumes about his desire to not just be a great hockey player but to leave a lasting impact on the city long after his playing days are over.
And by the looks of it, he’s well on his way towards accomplishing that.
