What's up with PK Subban?

[Creativero]

I honestly haven't watched any Preds games but I was wondering what's up with PK Subban these days. He's playing 25+ minutes a night in the WCF so I assume he's been pretty good but he's scoring #'s are a bit disappointing by his standards and he's being a couple off-brand defensemen on his own team (bare in mind Subban has a Norris and $70 million contract). He's also taking about half as many penalties (54 vs 106 last year) which more than makes up for the reduced offense ( that's 10 goals against a 20% PP). Did he just become a more mature/risk adverse player overnight when he got traded or is there something else going on?

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[RomanEmpire]

I think it's pretty obvious he's still not 100 percent.

He's paired with Ekholm in a shutdown role against the opponents top line every game in the playoffs. Still playing solid in the offensive zone. Absolutely took over game 1 of the STL series.

Had a beauty fake slapper, quick pass to Neal for the game winner tonight.

 

[Grandrift145]

He just isn't the one tasked to create everything for the team. He's also playing a more defensive role with Ekholm and the Josi-Ellis pair are more offensive.

His numbers aren't really down that much, he had pro rated 50 point season but the drop could be explained by reduced PP time and adjustments to new team

 

[Creativero]

I think it's pretty obvious he's still not 100 percent.

He's paired with Ekholm in a shutdown role against the opponents top line every game in the playoffs. Still playing solid in the offensive zone. Absolutely took over game 1 of the STL series.

Had a beauty fake slapper, quick pass to Neal for the game winner tonight.

Sick pass. That's what made made me realize there just hasn't been as much talk about PK as is customary in the playoffs. Good and Bad, which is seems to be reflected in his statistics as well. It's crazy to me that he's made it this deep into the playoffs as a shutdown defenseman without going nuts offensively himself just based on his reputation.

 

[Arturs Irbe]

A hockey player? A human? I could be wrong.........

 

[Creativero]

He just isn't the one tasked to create everything for the team. He's also playing a more defensive role with Ekholm and the Josi-Ellis pair are more offensive.

His numbers aren't really down that much, he had pro rated 50 point season but the drop could be explained by reduced PP time and adjustments to new team

That's kind of scary as a Pens fan if PK Subban is having to complete for PP time for you guys.

 

[Lebowski]

I honestly haven't watched any Preds games but I was wondering what's up with PK Subban these days. He's playing 25+ minutes a night in the WCF so I assume he's been pretty good but he's scoring #'s are a bit disappointing by his standards and he's being a couple off-brand defensemen on his own team (bare in mind Subban has a Norris and $70 million contract). He's also taking about half as many penalties (54 vs 106 last year) which more than makes up for the reduced offense ( that's 10 goals against a 20% PP). Did he just become a more mature/risk adverse player overnight when he got traded or is there something else going on?

No.

People just made up their mind that he was a very risky player back in Montréal when it wasn't quite true even back then.

He didn't change overnight. He lost some footspeed over the years and hasn't really rushed the puck like he used to as a result. The last time Subban played a very offensively oriented game was back in 12-13 when he won the Norris. Beyond that, Therrien sort of put his stamp on him and had him play a much more conservative style, which still earned him a Norris nod in 14-15.

PK had to deal with a few injuries since last season and he may not be at a 100%, or at least he certainly wasn't earlier in the season. That, and also the fact he probably had to get over Montréal at some point and turn the page. His play improved gradually and he generally ended the season on a strong note and he has been a beast in the playoffs as well.

I'd expect a strong year from him next season.

 

[Grandrift145]

That's kind of scary as a Pens fan if PK Subban is having to complete for PP time for you guys.

I'm not a Preds fan, I just looked at the numbers. He gets 1and1/2 minutes less of PP time from last year and almost 3 minutes less than 2 years ago

 

[Bieber fever]

8 point in 11 games , +6 in a shutdown role and he 's probably not even 100% healthy . He's the second best dman in the playoff

 

[ulvvf]

Nashville have pretty many good D-men, so they share the burden offensivly more than they did in monteral, so no one is the go to guy, so it is natural that the point total goes down a bit.

 

[simon IC]

He's a guy that likes to sit on opposing players.

 

[mikeyp24]

His Norris was the strike year so really... I honestly didn't think he deserved that but he's a solid 2nd pair guy IMO with a flair for the dramatics. Not my type of player but he obviously plays well enough to help his team.

 

[Lebowski]

His Norris was the strike year so really... I honestly didn't think he deserved that but he's a solid 2nd pair guy IMO with a flair for the dramatics. Not my type of player but he obviously plays well enough to help his team.

Seriously?

You know the guy has another top 3 Norris finish under his belt? Should have won it in 14-15, actually.

 

[Summer Rose]

PK Subban is an amazing hockey player with a charismatic, fun-loving personality, and I would absolutely love to have him on my hockey team.

 

[mikeyp24]

Seriously?

You know the guy has another top 3 Norris finish under his belt? Should have won it in 14-15, actually.

I mean on Nashville. I think he's their 4th best behind Josi, Ellis, and Ekholm. He's not a 2nd pair on every team Nash is just loaded.

 

[Creativero]

His Norris was the strike year so really... I honestly didn't think he deserved that but he's a solid 2nd pair guy IMO with a flair for the dramatics. Not my type of player but he obviously plays well enough to help his team.

He's playing 25 minutes a night for a team with a 1.45 GAA in the Western Conference Finals. He's a 2nd pair defenseman with flair in your mind, in real life he's a 1st pair defenseman with a Norris Trophy for any professional hockey team on the planet. If you did a defensive pair draft right now Ekholm/Subban would probably go in the top 10.

 

[mikeyp24]

He's playing 25 minutes a night for a team with a 1.45 GAA in the Western Conference Finals. He's a 2nd pair defenseman with flair in your mind, in real life he's a 1st pair defenseman with a Norris Trophy for any professional hockey team on the planet. If you did a defensive pair draft right now Ekholm/Subban would probably go in the top 10.

Don't act like Rinne doesn't have a huge impact on his own sv% and GAA. And your saying he's better then Josi right now? And he wouldn't be a 1st pair on the CBJ so that's also wrong. And I think Josi/Ellis again would go higher in your make believe defensive pair draft. When your team is as loaded D wise like smashville why is it offensive to say he is their #4 and 2nd pair... It's like people got a complex.for the guy that he has to be considered the best or else. He got his trophy for his half a season so what else does he need

 

[Zalos]

His Norris was the strike year so really... I honestly didn't think he deserved that but he's a solid 2nd pair guy IMO with a flair for the dramatics. Not my type of player but he obviously plays well enough to help his team.

Strike year or not, he was on the same playfield as everybody else. It is a Norris. As for your comment about him being a solid 2nd pair guy... are you freaking kidding me? You just lost all credibility right there.

 

[ChiefWiggum]

If we had to categorize Subban as an offensive, defensive or two way defenseman, which would he be? And if he is a two way in your opinion, is he slightly more offensive or defensive orientied?

Back when I used to watch him pre-2014 in Montreal he was undoubtedly an offensive defenseman, but now im not sure.

 

[WesMcCauley]

Agree he doesnt look 100%. Still a great player but he seems a little slower and not as smooth as he can be.

 

[Karl Eriksson]

He's better than Weber

 

[PerdFan]

I mean on Nashville. I think he's their 4th best behind Josi, Ellis, and Ekholm. He's not a 2nd pair on every team Nash is just loaded.

Nashville has a 1A and a 1B top 4. Subban is just not asked to be THE guy with this team. Like Laviolette said "We don't want PK to change his game, we want PK to play HIS game within our system...I'll never ask him to be something different."

 

[Pi]

[MOD]

Nashville has a 1A and a 1B top 4. Subban is just not asked to be THE guy with this team. Like Laviolette said "We don't want PK to change his game, we want PK to play HIS game within our system...I'll never ask him to be something different."

Not sure about that, I feel like he's definitely changed his game a bit in Nashville. I've watched PK with Nashville quite a bit and I barely see Subban skate as much as he did in Montreal with the puck. Perhaps that is because Nashville has better forwards than Montreal so he doesn't have to go for end to end rushes but PK in Montreal was a more exciting player than PK in Nashville. Easily a top 5-10D every year.

 

[Habs76]

If we had to categorize Subban as an offensive, defensive or two way defenseman, which would he be? And if he is a two way in your opinion, is he slightly more offensive or defensive orientied?

Back when I used to watch him pre-2014 in Montreal he was undoubtedly an offensive defenseman, but now im not sure.

He's whatever you want him to be. Habs needed offense, so he played an offensive style. Preds needed a shutdown guy and he took over that role.

 

[PromisedLand]

He just isn't the one tasked to create everything for the team. He's also playing a more defensive role with Ekholm and the Josi-Ellis pair are more offensive.

His numbers aren't really down that much, he had pro rated 50 point season but the drop could be explained by reduced PP time and adjustments to new team

Great minds think alike