PK Subban admits he's still surprised two contending teams wouldn't sign him

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Liam
January 11, 2023 (1:23 PM)

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In a recent interview with the Toronto Sun, PK Subban opened about about feeling left out and passed over in the last free agency season. Subban even went as far to say he felt surprised by the lack of interest in him, particularly from the Oilers, Hurricanes, and Leafs.

I was pretty surprised. I felt I could have helped a number of teams. As a free agent, I wanted to play on a contending team. I think Edmonton showed some interest. Carolina had showed some interest. I did not have discussions with the Maple Leafs. They were not interested in signing me.

It's a oddly candid moment for an NHL player, but in the comfort of retirement now, Subban can make these comments. However, to say he's surprised no one was interested in him is itself surprising, because Subban struggled greatly in the last four years of his career.

His career began with tons of promise in Montreal, before being traded to Nashville. With the Predators, he continued his offensive success, but recognizing the imminent decline in his game, he was traded to New Jersey, where Subban put up three brutal seasons with an anchor of a contract. His offensive touch was gone, and his defensive metrics were among the worst in the league.

It's imaginable that a team would have interest in Subban as a depth defenceman, but it appears he wasn't interested in that role. Even through free agency with no offers from NHL teams, Subban insisted he needed to play every night.

I think a lot of people wanted me to continue to train for the first part of the season, but that's not the player I am. I never thought of myself as a replacement player. I was always a top player in this league. I didn't want to be a player who is in and out of the lineup every night.

With the questions of his play and an insistence he must play every night, the risk to any team wouldn't be worth the reward of signing Subban to a cheap contract. His play put him out of the league, and his attitude towards continuing his career held him back.