P.K. Subban – The Most Valuable Player In Predators Franchise History

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On June 29, 2016, David Poile made a trade that would change the future of the entire Nashville Predators franchise. Perennial All-Star, Norris Trophy finalist, Captain of the Predators, and one of the most feared defensemen in the league, Shea Weber was dealt to the Montreal Canadiens. For most teams, trading away a player of this caliber would be devastating. It would signal to the fans to get ready for a rebuild and several years of not competing. That wasn’t the case with this trade however. In what will go down as a franchise altering move and one of the biggest one-for-one deals in NHL history, David Poile traded Shea Weber for P.K. Subban.

So why exactly was this move so historic? Yes, the Preds traded away probably their best player in franchise history, but what they got in Subban is far more valuable to the franchise on and off the ice.

Sure, the Preds have had some great players over the years like Tomas Vokoun, Paul Kariya, Steve Sullivan, Jason Arnott, Pekka Rinne, and Weber, but none of these players had the superstar level of Subban. P.K. is so much more than a hockey player, that I believe he is the most important player in Nashville Predators history.

What makes Subban so valuable to the franchise? Let’s start with the on-ice stuff. He is simply one of the most electrifying defensemen in the NHL. Offensively, he can score, pass, and stick handle better than a lot of forwards in the league. He’s great at pushing the play up the ice to create offensive chances. In 546 career games, Subban has 84 goals and 269 assists. He currently leads the Preds in points with 12 goals and 25 assists and is on pace for one of the best years he’s ever had. He’s also pretty good in his own end.

During the playoffs last year, P.K. was tasked with shutting down the opponents’ top line. He went up against Toews, Kane, Tarasenko, Perry, Getzlaf, Crosby, and Malkin and held all of them in check. He already has one Norris Trophy to his name and should be in the running for another this season. There’s no doubting that Subban is one of the premier players in the NHL, but I think he provides even more value to the Predators with everything he does off the ice.

Subban is one of the most public and recognizable players in sports. This weekend, he will captain the Central Division All-Stars for the second straight season. This is 100% decided by a fan vote, so to win it two years in a row just shows how popular P.K. is with the fans. Friday night, Subban will be hosting the NHL Fan Party at the All-Star Game in Tampa Bay. Plenty of Lightning players to choose from, but the NHL chose Subban because he has that special ability to connect with people. He also just signed on to be one of the faces for Adidas Hockey as they launch their new line of apparel and equipment.

Whenever a young hockey player goes to buy their gear now, they are going to see P.K.’s face and immediately connect him to the Nashville Predators. He’s a player that loves to be in front of the camera and actually has a personality to go along with it, as evidenced by his recent appearance on The Daily Show. When was the last time you noticed a NHL player on a national TV show that had nothing to do with hockey? Almost never, right?

I can’t talk about P.K. Subban without mentioning his charity work. By now, everyone has heard of his $10 Million donation to the Children’s Hospital in Montreal. That kind of charity is just unheard of in professional sports. He even kept his committment to the hospital after he was traded to Nashville.

He’s also known for his special Holiday Videos that he puts out every year. This year, he surprised a family in Nashville and completely furnished their apartment and cooked them a Christmas dinner. He also started the Blueline Buddies program here in Nashville that connects under privileged youth to local law enforcements officers. The reason for this? He said with all the negativity out there, he just wanted to bring people together. Subban is just a great person that loves giving and making people’s lives better.

Everything I’ve mentioned goes to show why P.K. Subban is such a valuable player to the Predators franchise. He’s an outstanding player on the ice and somehow manages to shine even brighter off the ice.

The exposure that Subban brings to the city of Nashville is invaluable. Whether it’s just suiting up every night for the Predators, hosting a fan event at the All-Star Game, being involved in one of his many charity events, or going on The Daily Show, P.K. is always bringing something positive to the Preds.

Hopefully, with Subban making the Predators more and more popular every day, bigger things can be expected by hockey fans in Nashville. We’ve already hosted the NHL Draft, All-Star Game, and the Stanley Cup Finals. The next logical step would be an outdoor game.

If that dream ever does come true, the city of Nashville can send a big thank you to P.K. since, without him, it would probably never happen. So appreciate P.K. Subban while he’s here because he does far more for the Predators and the city than anyone could ever put into words.

Herbie Brooks is the Lead Hockey Analyst for SoBros Network. He knows three things: beating Commies, winning Gold Medals, and having great hair. Follow him on Twitter: @SoBroHerbie_B

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