Should the Flyers think about trading for P.K.Subban?

by Anders Jensen on Jan 31, 2012 10:56 AM EST

Before I start, I want to let people know that this is my first ever fanpost, so don't be to harsh please and I also want to let you know that English is not my native language, so I am sorry if my message is not 100% clear.

I read this post from the Canucks blog Here and they talk alot about trading for P.K.Subban and that got me thinking if the Flyers should explore the idea.

P.K.Subban is a 22 year old defenseman with a curent cap hit of 875.000$ and is an RFA after this season.

First here is a link to Subban advanced stats from behindthenet.ca and here is the comparison with his fellow defense men from Montreal.

We cant take to much from the first link, but when we compare him to his teammates(only defense men) we see that he is:

2nd on his team with TOI/60 with 17.07
His 2nd on his team in CRelQC
He got an OZS% of 46.2% and OZF% 49.1%

What can we take from this? First we can take that Subban is currently a part of Montreals top defense pair, facing the toughest competition and playing the most minutes on the ice and even tho he starts more often in his own end, he still brings the play forward.
Would Montreal be interested in trading Subban away? Consider we havnt heard any trade rumors etc around him and he is a very good young defense men, I doubt they would, but if things mentioned in the commentaries of the Canucks blog are true, maybe they would?
I will not speculate on what trading for Subban might cost, but what do you think about adding a guy like Subban for a fair price?

Poll

Would you trade for P.K.Subban?

Yes, Homer get it done now!

5 votes

Yes, If the asking price is not to high

31 votes

Its intriguing, but not sure

27 votes

No, the Flyers should not trade for a defense men before the trade deadline

4 votes

No way in hell, Subban is a "disrespectful" douch

65 votes

132 votes | Poll has closed

This item was written by a member of this community and is not necessarily endorsed by Broad Street Hockey.

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Comments

No.

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by HankMonahan on Jan 31, 2012 12:20 PM EST reply actions

Its not so much should, as could. In reality, he’s a decent #3 or #4 guy. Le Habs put him at #1 superstar, and are going to give him monetary incentive to stay.

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by BannedStreetBully on Jan 31, 2012 1:14 PM EST reply actions

In reality, he’s a decent #3 or #4 guy. Le Habs put him at #1 superstar, and are going to give him monetary incentive to stay.

I think in reality, he’s a top pair guy. I can’t list 60 defensemen better (can you?). Furthermore, he’s pretty young, and I think at that age D tend to have 3-4 more years of growth left.

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by red army line on Jan 31, 2012 1:49 PM EST up reply actions

according to the numbers from behindthenet.ca Subban is 1st pair defense men and that is the reason I dont think the Habs well trade him at all, but if Subban have really pissed of his teammates etc. they might be “forced” to it.

by Anders Jensen on Jan 31, 2012 2:14 PM EST up reply actions

Our team needs a physical, positionally-sound, defenseman who is going to make opposing players pay a price for trying to set up camp in front of our net. I think even a Hal Gill (provided we don’t have to give up anything significant) makes more sense than a PK Subban.

Screams from the haters, got a nice ring to it.

by Jody_Shelley's_Frankenstein on Jan 31, 2012 3:59 PM EST reply actions

I agree. Our depth at forward should be enough for offensive power. Our larger concern should be to secure a player who can replace the grit and toughness of Pronger (even without as much skill). A Hal Gill-, Derian Hatcher-, (even Chris Therien) type player should be all we pursue.

by mattsotheran on Feb 1, 2012 9:20 AM EST up reply actions

Hal Gills cap hit 2.250.000$ that is way to much for what he brings, he aint much better then Lilja for a much higher cap hit.

by Anders Jensen on Feb 1, 2012 9:36 AM EST up reply actions

And also I can’t vote in your poll because none of the choices fit my position , which would be something like: “No, The Flyers should trade for a different defenseman who would fulfill our needs better”. Hal Gill is world’s better than Andreas Lilja (not that it’s terribly hard).

Screams from the haters, got a nice ring to it.

by Jody_Shelley's_Frankenstein on Feb 1, 2012 5:15 PM EST up reply actions

Actually Hal Gill is not worlds better the Lilja and we already got guys just as “good” as an Hal Gill. If we should trade for a defenseman it should be a clear upgrade over what we already got on the roster.

by Anders Jensen on Feb 1, 2012 5:55 PM EST up reply actions

Hal Gill has been horrible in Hab country for the last year or so, I would pass on him.

by Mattx on Feb 2, 2012 1:46 PM EST up reply actions

I don’t like his attitude and I don’t want him on my team. Subban is going to be the TO of hockey.

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by chrislanci on Feb 1, 2012 8:26 AM EST reply actions

Booooo PK Subban.

by OrangeNblacK on Feb 1, 2012 2:12 PM EST reply actions

This is the reason I made the last poll option, as I thought alot of people cant stand Subbans attitude.

by Anders Jensen on Feb 1, 2012 5:56 PM EST up reply actions

If the Flyers needed a guy with Subban’[s skill set I’d be all for it. But as it is they have enough (too many?) d-men who can join the rush up ice.

What they need is a physical, slot-clearing (as much as is possible nowadays), stay-at-home defenseman who is decent with outlet passes.

I repeat my earlier mantra of wanting Bryan Allen.

Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?

by mikefive on Feb 1, 2012 6:47 PM EST reply actions

some1 one with errant elbows maybe?

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by reaper1221 on Feb 1, 2012 6:57 PM EST up reply actions

Essentially, yes – they need someone to be a poor man’s Pronger. This is why I have such a man-crush on Allen. I’d be okay with Gleason too, but he is the better of the two and the ’Canes could likely command more for him.

Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?

by mikefive on Feb 1, 2012 7:51 PM EST up reply actions

I think Bryan Allen would be a great addition for the Flyers and if we lose Carle (very possible we do), keeping Allen would be easy aswell.

by Anders Jensen on Feb 1, 2012 8:00 PM EST up reply actions

Wouldn’t Sean O’Donnell have reasonably filled that description?

by alaskalovestheflyers on Feb 1, 2012 7:27 PM EST up reply actions

Uh, no.

Sean O’Donnell is a #6 defenseman at the tail end of his career (like Lilja). The Flyers need someone better than that.

Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?

by mikefive on Feb 1, 2012 7:50 PM EST up reply actions

O’Donnell is far better than Lilja. I’m not suggesting that SOD is a great Pronger replacement, but if he could be obtained as a rental for the rest of the season…he does play with a nasty streak, and while he can’t jump in and play some serious offense, he has good hockey sense and a decent shot from the point.

I’d go with “not the best solution” but it’s a far cry from “Uh, no.”

by alaskalovestheflyers on Feb 1, 2012 8:15 PM EST up reply actions

O`Donnell’s 10-11 season with the Flyers was almost a mirror image of Lilja’s 11-12 season. I know, because I used it to prove M wrong a few weeks ago.

O`Donnell is not far better than Lilja.

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by Geoff Detweiler on Feb 2, 2012 8:27 AM EST up reply actions

I didn’t mean to come across as a dick there, so I apologize.

Essentially: What Geoff said. O’Donnell is not the kind of player the Flyers need to get right now. They need someone better.

Do you see what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps?

by mikefive on Feb 2, 2012 5:22 PM EST up reply actions

Thank you for taking the time to apologize. That’s all too rare in the “inter-tubes.” I don’t think SOD is a great solution, I was just thinking something better than nothing. Perhaps I was even wrong in that!

FWIW, I like SOD, and I suppose that may have influenced my thinking.

by alaskalovestheflyers on Feb 2, 2012 6:48 PM EST up reply actions

Since you first brought it up I’m more and more of the opinion that getting Allen would be a good idea. And it may be our only chance to dump Lilja as part of the deal of roster player(s), prospect(s), and/or a pick to get him.

I don’t like any narrative that includes us trading away Richards and trading for Subban.

by mtitanic on Feb 1, 2012 9:34 PM EST up reply actions

I think it’s too big of a risk, considering his conditioning issues (showing up massively overweight and out of shape to camp, etc.). You’d give up a lot to get him, take a significant cap hit with a contract for him and then his body breaks down. No, thanks.

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by doubleh on Feb 2, 2012 5:42 PM EST reply actions

Wait

I was thinking of the wrong player. I conflated Byfuglien with Subban—bah. Either way, it’ll be an overpay. Subban brings other issues with him and if they really did get rid of either Carter or Richards because of “lockerroom cancer,” this doesn’t seem to be the way to go to avoid that in the future.

"I wouldn’t run if there was a fire. I wouldn’t run anywhere. I hate running." - O. Munn

by doubleh on Feb 2, 2012 9:41 PM EST up reply actions

FWIW, I believe that rumor of Buff coming to camp overweight and out of shape was debunked, didn’t happen.

by mtitanic on Feb 2, 2012 11:19 PM EST up reply actions

Even if there is a chance Subban might be “locker room cancer”, I would still try and get him if the price is right. He got a ton of talent, already plays like a 1st pair defenseman at the age of 22 and this year and his next contract should be pretty cheap compared to getting a guy like Suter. The only thing is that Montreal might want a pretty high price for him.

by Anders Jensen on Feb 3, 2012 9:53 AM EST up reply actions

Agree with this analysis.

The ‘Subban is a locker room cancer’ line is getting really old. He’s young, extremely talented, and it would be unfair to write him off (the “TO of hockey,” really?) A lot of hockey fans seem to forget that Chris Pronger was a ‘problem’ early in his career. That being said, I don’t think he’s a good fit for the Flyers. I’d love to have him in Anaheim, though!

by light_the_lamp on Feb 5, 2012 3:26 AM EST up reply actions

I would like to know what you mean, by not a good fit for the Flyers? I mean what team could not use that production on there blueline?

by Anders Jensen on Feb 7, 2012 9:47 AM EST up reply actions

I'm a Ducks fan

with a soft spot for the Flyers, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. But it seems as though the Flyers’ most immediate need is a shutdown defenseman (the Ducks definitely need one). But Subban would be a valuable asset to any team. I would gladly give up Lubomir Visnovsky (and another player/pick) for him.

by light_the_lamp on Feb 7, 2012 9:12 PM EST up reply actions

I don’t know about “shutdown”, but Subban is put in tough situations and succeeds. He’s 2nd on the team in competition, 3rd in defense zone starts, 4th in GA/60 despite having the 2nd worst on-ice Sv%, and he’s 1st in CorsiRel.

Whatever the label is, he’s a very solid defensive contributor.

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by Geoff Detweiler on Feb 7, 2012 10:11 PM EST up reply actions

That's impressive.

I already considered myself a fan of Subban’s, but those stats make me like him even more!

by light_the_lamp on Feb 7, 2012 10:51 PM EST up reply actions

When I did the research on him, I was surprised to see how well he are performing.
The Habs would be stupid to trade such a good young defensive player, but crazier stuff have happened in hockey before.

by Anders Jensen on Feb 8, 2012 10:01 AM EST up reply actions

Trade for Subban?

This post is a joke, right? The fans and management are trying to dump his sorry butt and there’s no takers. I don’t think I’d give a bag of pucks for him, he’s trouble.

by Jim1Flyer on Feb 6, 2012 10:26 PM EST reply actions

What do you mean by joke? did you just see the headline without reading the post or look at the poll?

by Anders Jensen on Feb 7, 2012 9:47 AM EST up reply actions

The fans and management are trying to dump his sorry butt and there’s no takers.

How do you know this?

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by Geoff Detweiler on Feb 7, 2012 10:05 AM EST up reply actions

He probably doesn’t know anything.

by light_the_lamp on Feb 7, 2012 9:09 PM EST up reply actions

I know, I just can’t leave things like that hanging.

Rumors are funny: People believe what they want to believe. They’ll discredit the source that disagrees with them while rationalizing the source that writes what they already think.

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