BROSSARD, Que. – It was a big day for 24 year-old P. K. Subban. He practised with teammates at the Montreal Canadiens’ practice facility in Brossard with a big grin on his face. There was a lot for him to smile about on Tuesday.
“I haven’t had a chance to answer my phone,” Subban told reporters.
“I think of the amount of messages, I want to turn it off for now.”
WATCH: P.K. Subban hopes Olympic team selection WON’T silence his critics
The Habs flashy blueliner and his teammate, goalie Carey Price, were named to the Team Canada roster Tuesday morning.
They made the 25-player roster, heading to Russia for the upcoming Olympic Games.
The 2010 Canadian squad captured gold in Vancouver.
“I have to thank my teammates first and foremost for playing so well in front me and helping me this year to earn this spot,” Price told Global News.
WATCH: Carey Price thanks Habs teammates for helping him earn spot on Olympic team
Price’s selection was considered a sure thing, but Subban was reportedly “on the bubble.”
It’s believed he earned the last available spot on defence.
Talk show host Jeremy Filosa still couldn’t understand the controversy surrounding Subban’s selection.
“I practically refused to talk about it on the radio,” Filosa said.
“People would call in and I’d say there’s nothing to talk about here. He’s the Norris Trophy winner.”
The Canadiens are sending a total of eight players to Sochi: Tomas Plekanec (Czech Republic), Peter Budaj (Slovakia), Raphael Diaz (Switzerland), Max Pacioretty (USA), Andrei Markov (Russia), and Alexei Emelin (Russia).
In pictures: Habs at the Winter Olympics
“It’s a dream for me,” Emelin told reporters.
While it’s considered an honour to represent your country at the Games, fatigue could become a concern for the team come playoff time in April.
“They’re going to play more games than anybody else,” Filosa says.
“Other teams will have only one or two guys going to the Olympics.”
During a lighter moment Tuesday, goalie Carey Price was asked if he looked forward to sitting next to the “talkative” Subban during the long flight to Russia.
“We’ll sit on opposite ends of the plane,” Price said with a laugh.
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