There might not be a ton of talk surrounding UFA defenseman P.K. Subban, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t some interest in the veteran this summer. According to his agent, Don Meehan of Newport Sports, Subban is drawing some attention, even if a few dominoes have to fall before he’s ultimately signed.
As per Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette, there is interest in Subban, says Meehan. But, as is the case with a number of still-unsigned free agents, Subban is waiting for teams to clear up their money situation. In other words, for someone else like Subban to come in, a different player has to leave. Only if interested teams first free up money is Subban a player likely to sign a new NHL contract.
Meehan said:
P.K. just came back from vacation and I talked to him today about the free-agency marketplace and I’ve indicated to him that we’ve had expressions of interest. I’ve told him that there are teams moving money — assessing what kind of cap space they have, analyzing their depth scenarios to determine just exactly what they can do.
He added that some teams are already trying to make the necessary moves and while he hasn’t gotten a definitive response from some of the teams he’s talked to, he knows there is still interest out there. All they know right now is that these teams aren’t in a position to sign Subban to a new contract because they’ve got other things in play.
Subban is not likely to hit a home run in free agency if things worked out and a team makes room for him. He’s coming off of a 22-point campaign with the New Jersey Devils in 77 games. It represents another year where his production has dropped and he’s repeatedly proven he’s not the player he once was. But, this isn’t really about the money for Subban. Meehan added that his client wants to find the right fit and feels as though he’s earned the right to sign with a team he finds makes the most sense for him.
The team that signs him will have to be comfortable with him in a more limited role and someone who can likely play important minutes on the third pairing. Subban will probably have to be comfortable with that too.
More must-reads: