P.K. Subban helped stoke the longstanding rivalry between the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens during his seven seasons with the Habs. Now with the New Jersey Devils, the 32-year-old defenseman could be a Bruins’ trade target.
Boston Hockey Now’s Jimmy Murphy cited multiple NHL sources claiming the Bruins looked into what it would take to acquire Subban “on more than one occasion.” Murphy felt the former Norris Trophy winner would be a big-moment player who could anchor the Bruins’ power play. Murphy also said the Toronto Maple Leafs have “more than lukewarm interest” in the Toronto native.
Subban’s contract, however, is a sticking point. He’s entering the final season of his deal with an annual average value of $9 million. One of Murphy’s sources indicated no club would acquire him unless Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald agreed to pick up half Subban’s cap hit.
That’s unlikely to happen, at least early in the season. With Cap Friendly showing the Devils carrying more than $12 million in cap space, Fitzgerald is under no pressure to shed the final year of Subban’s contract. It would take a significant offer to convince Fitzgerald to pick up a healthy chunk of the blueliner’s annual salary to facilitate a trade.
Murphy speculated any move for Subban would take place later in the season, perhaps by the trade deadline as clubs will want a prorated salary cap hit along with the Devils absorbing part of it. That’s assuming he’ll be available by that point. Fitzgerald could hang onto Subban if he’s playing well and the Devils are in playoff contention, even at the risk of losing him for nothing to free agency at season’s end.