Subban Hits the Jackpot

The biggest news over the August Long Weekend, which I was away for and couldn't sit down in front of a computer to blog about, was the Montreal Canadiens and defenseman P.K. Subban coming to terms on a new deal, before an arbitrator could come down with their official decision.

The two sides had the hearing at the end of the week and as if everything was going the wrong way in their relationship, they came together and hammered out their differences and came to the conclusion that an 8-year, $72 million deal was the best course of action.

By market standards, Subban may have been overvalued by the Montreal Canadiens, as his 2014 season was not the most impressive, coming in with 10 goals and 53 points in 82 games.  Subban was ranked 95th overall in pool scoring, 6th among all defensemen and he currently will have the 3rd-highest cap hit among all players in the 2015 season.

Subban's 2013 Norris Trophy-winning season was significantly better, as he finished 56th overall in pool scoring, in the lockout-shortened year, scoring 11 goals and 38 points in only 42 games.  There is a lot of potential still to be realized in this 25-year old and the Habs are paying through the nose to have it on their side.

It will be interesting to see how Subban falls into the argument of the salary making the player or the player making the salary.  How will his numbers do, now that he's getting paid?

Well, that put a serious dent in what the Canadiens had left in their room against the cap, didn't it?  Subban's $9 million cap hit for the year leaves the team with about $6.2 million for four more roster spots, a couple up front and a couple more on the blueline.  That doesn't leave a lot of wiggle room per deal to be signed, which likely means they'll try to fill those spots with prospects and maybe one more medium ticket player.