P.K. Subban was honoured in public on Wednesday at the children’s hospital he is supporting in Montreal.
Last night night he was honoured on the ice in Montreal’s Bell Centre, home of the storied Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League.
ListenP.K. Subban became a much-loved player on the team he was thrilled to play for. But last June, during the off-season, Subban was traded in a controversial move by the coach, to the Nashville Predators.
“I’m very, very honoured and happy to know that in the Mecca of hockey fans still support me and are behind me.”
The trade, for one of the Predators star players, Shea Webber, left the city, and indeed the province of Quebec, in shock.
Last night Subban skated onto the ice for the first time since the trade, in a Predator’s jersey. The Montreal crowd of 21,000 went crazy, in a lengthy standing-ovation chanting “P.K. P.K.” as they had so many times before.
The Montreal Candiens organization had prepared a video presentation for Subban of some of his great moments with the team. The tears streamed down his face as he watched.
“I’m very, very honoured and happy to know that in the Mecca of hockey fans still support me and are behind me.”
While Subban, 27, was born and raised in Toronto, he adopted his father’s favourite team, that city’s age-old rival, the Montreal Canadiens. When he was drafted to play for them in 2007, a deep and mutual affection began.
Subban, one of the few black players in the NHL, eventually signed one of the most expensive contracts with the Canadiens and became a local celebrity as a man-about-town, and one who was dedicated to charitable endeavours.
Last year he committed to raising $10 million (Cdn) for the Montreal Children’s Hospital and the atrium in the newly-built edition was named for him.
Pernell-Karl Subban’s parents immigrated from the Caribbean, his father from Jamaica to Sudbury originally, and his mother from Montserrat to Hamilton, They are one of the first families of hockey these days. P.K’s younger brothers Malcolm and Jordan are also in the NHL; Malcolm is with the Boston Bruins and Jordan is with the Vancouver Canucks.
As for the game last night, an emotional one and hard-fought, but the Canadiens finally took it, 2 – 1.
For reasons beyond our control, and for an undetermined period of time, our comment section is now closed. However, our social networks remain open to your contributions.