P.K. Subban becomes third-highest paid player in NHL
By Josh Hill
The Montreal Canadiens are looking at ways to get back to the Eastern Conference Finals and part of that means getting back the big pieces they had to get them there last season.
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Perhaps the biggest piece of the Habs roster is top defenseman P.K. Subban. The two sides couldn’t come to an agreement on a salary figure that Subban liked and it appeared that things were headed towards arbitration. That was all avoided though when Subban and the Habs struck a massive $72 million agreement that is good for 8-years and a whopping annual salary.
According to the Montreal Gazette, Subban will be paid $9 million annually which makes him the third-highest paid player in the NHL.
"Subban’s $9-million average salary is the third-highest in the NHL behind Washington’s Alex Ovechkin ($9.58 million) and Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin ($9.5 million) and just ahead of Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby."
There was some tension between the Habs and Subban when it came to what was fair annual pay for the former Norris Trophy winner but it’s clear who came out on top in this deal. Subbane was requesting just over $8 million while the Habs countered with just over $5 million.
As has been reported, the two sides settled on a price north of what Subban asked for. That doesn’t mean that the Habs are upset about having him back.
"“We are very pleased to have reached a long-term agreement with P.K. Subban,” Bergevin said in a statement. “This agreement helps consolidate the future of our team. A key element of our group of young veterans, P.K. plays with a high level of intensity every time he steps onto the ice. Despite his young age, he carries a great deal of experience and brings contagious energy to the team. Defencemen of his level are a rare commodity in the NHL.”"