NHL Rumors: When Will the Montreal Canadiens Re-sign P.K. Subban?
Marc Bergevin should’ve known that he’d have a lot on his plate when he was introduced as the new General Manager for the Montreal Canadiens on May 2. Three months into the job, he’s already crossed off one challenge and encountered another.
Fans are holding their breath to see what Bergevin will do to bolster their team, and he’s made some good moves in the offseason by signing Brandon Prust, Colby Armstrong and their first-round pick in the 2012 NHL Draft, Alex Galchenyuk. He also recently signed Max Pacioretty to a six-year, $27 million extension.
“I think he’s just scratching the surface now,” Bergevin said of Pacioretty on Tuesday. “He works out, he’s committed. I talked with our guys. They felt comfortable and I for sure felt comfortable to bring him back for six years.”
But one question remains: when will the Canadiens re-sign P.K. Subban?
Subban, who is at the end of his three year entry-level contract, is looking for a long-term extension this time. The offer made to him by the organization sounds good at first glance: a two year, $5.5 million extension. But a very tricky situation exists. Subban hasn’t exactly been a breakout player in his first two full NHL seasons (7 goals and 29 assists in the 2011-12 season alone) to warrant a long-term, high-paying contract. On the other hand, he has the potential for big things, and investing in such potential could yield a big payoff. Both the club and Subban need to temper what has been with what could be and find a satisfactory middle ground.
“He (Subban)’s a good young player,” Bergevin said. “There’s a lot of things that comes into play but there’s potential there for sure.”
Bergevin wouldn’t discuss the details of any ongoing talks with Subban and his agent, saying “It’s an ongoing process, we’re talking and hopefully we’ll get to an agreement in time.”
When Subban is finally re-signed, fans will breathe a sigh of relief. But for Bergevin and the Canadiens front office, the waiting will have just begun.
