Trading PK Subban
It was a memorable day in Nashville when the trade that brought PK Subban to town was announced. Subban brought his brand of excitement and gritty gameplay to the Predators.
Yet three years later, management would move on from Subban in their quest to obtain Matt Duchene.
Had they already forgotten everything that was done and lost to acquire Subban? Apparently, they had.
Subban was instrumental in helping the Predators reach the 2017 Stanley Cup finals. He went on to have a great 2017-2018 season, scoring 59 points (16 goals, 43 assists), but his production dropped off a bit during the 2018-2019 season.
Subban was a fan-favorite in Nashville. He was a solid defenseman who was often paired with Mattias Ekholm. They combined to make one of the better defensive pairings in the NHL.
When Duchene announced that he would seek free agency instead of re-signing with the Columbus Blue Jackets, there was only one thing standing in the way of him becoming a Predator. Subban’s large cap hit of $9M had to be gotten rid of so that the Predators could court Duchene.
Poile crafted a trade with the New Jersey Devils. The Predators received two defensemen, and two second-round draft picks. Subban was no longer a Predator, which cleared the way for Duchene.
The Predators mortgaged their ability to make future transactions and gave up a player that they shouldn’t have to acquire Subban. They then turned around and got rid of a fan-favorite in Subban to acquire a player that hasn’t yet earned his keep.
Many still question getting rid of Subban while impatiently waiting for Duchene to step up and make his mark on this team.