BK Suban He announced his retirement from the National Hockey League on Tuesday after 13 seasons playing between the Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators and New Jersey Devils.
The defender appeared in 834 professional matches with 115 goals and 467 points. He revealed the “end of this chapter” to his career in an Instagram post.
“I remember my dreams of playing in the NHL and winning the Stanley Cup,” Soban wrote, similar to the players on the Don Cherry Rock’em Sock’em strips at the end of each volume, with black eyes, broken bones, and tears of joy to this day I still dream about.
“I’ve never looked at myself and I’ve never felt like I’m just a hockey player.” I always viewed myself as someone who happened to play hockey. This perspective allowed me to enjoy every shift as if it was the last, celebrate every goal with passion, and play every game as if someone had paid me to watch me play before. You watched me play before… The NHL also provided me with a platform that allowed me to come back [through] My charities. A big thank you to the many players I’ve played with or competed with and who gave my best.”
Thank you! pic.twitter.com/rpyePEKvyG
– PK Subban (@PKSubban1) September 20 2022
Subban, 33, was drafted by Montreal in the second round, 43rd, in 2007. He made his debut with the Canadiens in 2010 and played a prominent role on Montreal’s Blue Line for the next six seasons. The Toronto native became a dominant defender in the league over those years, winning the 2013 Norris Award as the best defender in the NHL.
Internationally, he won an Olympic gold medal for Canada at the 2014 Games in Sochi.
Later in 2014, Suban signed an eight-year, $72 million contract with the Canadians which made him the highest-paid defender in the NHL at the time. In the same season he was appointed substitute captain.
Just two years later, in June 2016, he was part of a blockbuster trade that sent him to Nashville in exchange for a defensive man Shea Weber. He entered the top four for the Predators and scored a double-digit goal total in the following two seasons.
Subban was traded back in June 2019 to New Jersey, and the veteran recorded his worst statistical season in the 2019-20 campaign. He terminated the remainder of his eight-year contract with the Devils before becoming an unrestricted free agent last July.
“I am looking forward to the way forward, and many exciting opportunities to come,” Sabban continued in his post-retirement position. “I’m excited to share what’s on with you all when the time comes!”
“Infuriatingly humble internet trailblazer. Twitter buff. Beer nerd. Bacon scholar. Coffee practitioner.”
