P.K. Subban has played in a Devils uniform for more than two months, and the defenseman and the team are still looking for the elite defenseman to emerge.
Based on the underlying numbers, the Devils have been expected to score 50.44 percent of the goals when Subban has been on the ice at 5-on-5. In reality, they’ve accounted for just 35 percent of them, with opponents outscoring the Devils 26-14 with Subban on the ice.
And on the power play, Subban has been a non factor. He has zero points on the man advantage this season, and he’s been taken off off the unit at times while the Devils have searched for sustained production. His current 2:17 of power-play ice time per game would go down as the lowest of his career.
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On top of his lack of scoring on the power play, Subban hasn’t recorded a single point in more than a month, going 16 straight games without a goal or assist since scoring a goal on Nov. 2 in Carolina.
From simply watching Subban, there are times where his intangibles stand out, from ending plays in the defensive zone to skating the puck in transition to offense. But It hasn’t been enough to translate on the scoresheet or in the win column.
“We’ve generated chances, and I think the focus at this time in the season, especially, you try to focus on not trying to do too much, and just do your job," Subban said. "And that’s all I’m trying to do out there is just do my job and help the team anywhere that I can. It’s definitely a different setting them in Nashville, different team, different system. A lot of things. But with our team it’s about winning games, and I don’t care whether we win a game 1-0 or win it 5-0, whether I get points or I don’t get points. I want to win hockey games, and that’s my focus.”
When the Devils made their coaching change earlier this week, one of the challenges for interim coach Alain Nasreddine was to get each individual player on track for improvement. Subban, like everyone else, falls in that boat.
“There’s a certain way we want to play and I think everyone will tell you that everyone in the room has been underachieving. I don’t think anyone’s happy with their game, and I’m certain that P.K. would tell you the same thing," Nasreddine said. "I think everyone has more to give, including P.K. And right now, there’s been a major change that has also affected me, but moving forward it’s a clean slate for everybody. I thought P.K. had a really strong game (against Vegas on Tuesday). He moved well, engaged, I think he made things happen. And that’s what we expect from P.K. But it’s not just P.K. It’s everyone on the team. Everyone has to elevate and get to the next level.”
Subban will try to snap out of his scoring funk when he returns to his last NHL home on Saturday. He will play in Nashville against the Predators for the first time since June’s trade to the Devils.
He’s had homecomings before, returning to Montreal in 2016 after being traded from the Canadiens to the Predators. And while this visit may not have the same drama, he’s still going back to the place where he played in a Stanley Cup Final in 2017.
“It’ll definitely be exciting. It’s different, probably a little less emotional than Montreal, but definitely it’s going to be great to see some of my old teammates, and I’ve kept in touch with a lot of them,” Subban said. “But I’ve already been in touch with a lot of people in the front office and I think they’re excited to have me come back, but I’m excited. I’m excited to get back there and play and we get to even stay over after the game so I get a chance to see some friends and stuff like that.”
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