MONTREAL – It’s the P.K. Subban quote that shook the Montreal Canadiens fan base to the core.
Subban’s explosion after Saturday’s game may have been expected, but the ferocity and vocabulary were surprising.
“I couldn’t give a s— about my f—ing first goal in however long,” he shouted to a room full of media.
Walking into the Habs locker room was like walking into a funeral after the 3-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
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What’s shocked me isn’t the swearing, but what Subban continued to say.
“I’m not a goal scorer,” he said, clearly frustrated.
“It’s not my job to score goals.”
Yes, PK, it is.
Not only is it everyone’s job to score goals on the team but as a veteran, as a Norris trophy winner and as the team’s top-five goal-getting two out of the last three seasons, it is.
The refrain about veterans needing to step it up is repeating – the core leaders of the team need to lift the Canadiens out of this slump.
If Subban isn’t supposed to score the goals – then who is?
As an alternate captain and one of the most vocal players in the room it is absolutely P.K.’s job to score.
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What hasn’t been said is the timing of his comment.
It wasn’t during Subban’s post-game scrum, it was while the throng of reporters was talking to Max Pacioretty.
In fact, it interrupted the captain’s interview.
Even Pacioretty went quiet to watch as Subban very loudly made his remarks.
This is telling.
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Pacioretty is the team’s top scorer, the captain, the one who is supposed to lead the way.
He is on pace to score 34 goals while enduring a rotating cast of right wingers.
If he meets that goal, it would be third most goals he’s scored in a season in his career.
The problem is that the goals he’s scoring aren’t clutch.
The Canadiens are seventh in the league in empty netters and Max Pacioretty has had his fair share this season.
If Subban’s comments shook up the fan base, it was most definitely meant to rattle the room.
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Subban is emotional and can let his frustration boil over, but these comments are direct and have purpose.
If Subban isn’t the one who’s supposed to score then let it resonate around the locker room for the next four days about who is supposed to do that job.
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