Watching Montreal Canadiens defenceman P.K. Subban arguing on the bench with coaches Randy Ladouceur and Randy Cunneyworth after turning over the puck in the Habs zone, a play that led to a Pittsburgh Penguins shorthanded goal, showed just how bad things are going for the Habs these days.
There was Pernell Karl, sitting alone at the end of the bench, his teammates shuffling down to their left and looking away, as the young defenceman argued on and on, even as coach Ladouceur held up his hand in a "that's enough P.K., just play" motion.
Considering the absolutely brutal game that Subban had been playing up to that point (turn over after turn over, bad penalties, getting caught pinching in at the Pittsburgh blueline), it wasn't as if the Montreal defenceman was arguing from a position of strength.
But what yesterday's game showed is just how bad things really are for the Montreal Canadiens. Not only do they have to count on a player of P.K. Subban's caliber to assume the role of number one d-man, but he feels confident enough in his role on the team that he figures that it's acceptable for him to get into a debate with his coaches during an NHL hockey game.
Some will say that what P.K. Subban did is not anywhere near as serious as the epic Patrick Roy-Mario Tremblay blow-up which led to the Hall of Fame goaltender being traded to Colorado in 1995, but that would be missing a couple of major points. The most obvious difference is that P.K. Subban is nowhere near being the hockey player that Patrick Roy was.
When Patrick Roy confronted Montreal Canadiens president Ronald Corey behind the player's bench on national television, he had 2 Stanley Cups, 2 Conn Smythe trophies, 4 Jennings trophies, 3 Vezina trophies, and 3 NHL First-All Star team selections under his belt.
P.K.Subban, on the other hand, is in his second full season in the NHL. He was selected by Montreal with the 43rd pick in the 2007 draft. Sixteen defencemen were selected ahead of him.
Yet through a series of fortunate (or unfortunate, depending on your point of view) events, he has managed to find his way into a critical role within an organization that has lost its way. So overrated has he become, that many observers have taken the irrational and illogical view that somehow P.K. Subban is one of the few untouchables on the Montreal roster. A player who cannot be traded away.
That Subban ranks so incredibly high on the Canadiens depth chart is not his fault. It does however serve as a glaring example of the dire situation the Montreal hockey franchise finds itself.
Jacques Martin was heavily criticized by fans and by hockey analysts for what they felt was the stifling of Subban. That somehow Martin was preventing him from fully expressing his talents on the ice. It was as if Subban were only to be left alone to play without the shackles of a system, he would magically develop into the second coming of Bobby Orr.
The reality is that Subban is showing himself to be an incredibly selfish and high maintenance player. Last night's loss to Pittsburgh can be pinned squarely on his shoulders. Had it not been for a couple of very good saves by Peter Budaj off chances which resulted directly from Subban blunders, the Habs would not have even escaped with a single point.
If I were a fan of the Habs, I would also be very worried that even though Subban was a liability on the ice and was sucking the energy right out of the team with his on-bench attitude, the coaching staff decided to keep putting him out there, shift after shift. The message being, "it doesn't matter if you're playing poorly and being selfish, you'll still play". No consequences, at least if your name is P.K. Subban.
That Pernell Karl Subban has elite level talent is undeniable. There are nights when he can make a difference in a hockey game and be a big part of a win. But for the most part, he has not shown that he has the maturity level required to be a leader in an organization. Successful teams, whether it be in hockey or any other endeavour, are those in which the most talented people are also the best leaders.
I've been a very vocal critic of the Montreal Canadiens over my many years as a fan of the game of hockey, but the one thing that I've always respected about that organization is that everything they did seemed to be done with an eye towards ensuring the success of the team. Nothing, and no one, came before the team.
Very high on the Habs executive list needs to be the re-establishment of the mentality within the organization that every action taken by all members is to be geared toward the betterment of the team.
Make sure that those who are brought in are not only top end talent, but top end people. People who understand to build something worthwhile, you need to be prepare to fill your role, but also need to do it with a good attitude and in a manner that does not impact negatively on others.
A team, any kind of team, should be all about "us" and very little about "me''. In only 125 games in the National Hockey League, P.K. Subban has required, and received, far more attention than he warrants. The reality is that he will never be one of the NHL's top defencemen. He will never be the type of player who anchors a blueline and leads a team to the Stanley Cup.
If the Montreal Canadiens don't want to spend the next few years coddling, coaxing, and otherwise dealing with P.K. Subban, for what will probably be limited returns, then trade him. There are surely teams out there who would be interested in his talent and ability, and he could bring some interesting elements in return.
If they don't, they risk regretting it for a long time. Time will tell...
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