Predators’ P.K. Subban Moved To Tears By Canadiens’ Tribute, Ovation In Return To Montreal

Last summer, the Montreal Canadiens shocked their fans when they traded defenseman P.K. Subban to the Nashville Predators for Shea Weber.

Predators’ P.K. Subban Moved by Canadiens’ Tribute In Montreal Return

On Thursday night, Subban– the 2013 Norris Trophy winner– returned to Montreal for the first time since his trade. The 27-year-old Canadian star was literally moved to tears as his former team paid tribute to him with an emotional video before the game at the Bell Centre, and Canadiens fans cheered his name, “P.K., P.K., P.K.”

Here is the video of the tribute to Subban, as well as the Predators defenseman’s reaction to said video and the ensuing standing ovation from the crowd of 21,273:

“I wasn’t really sure how I was going to feel,” Subban said after the game, a 2-1 Canadiens win where he recorded one assist. “I played a lot of hockey games in this building, a lot of great things happened in this building and in this city while I was here and all those memories come back. Whether it’s stuff to do with the hospital or kids or family, teammates, hockey games, emotional games. I felt that I shared that with all the fans and the community here, and I guess that’s how it all came out.”

Interestingly enough, as the game grew tense, the Montreal crowd eventually began booing Subban.

“That’s the first time I’ve ever been booed at the Bell Centre. I enjoyed that,” Subban said.

 Earlier this season, when the Canadiens (36-21-8, 1st in Atlantic Division) visited Nashville for the first time, the Predators (32-23-9, 3rd in Central Division) honored Weber, their former captain, with a similar tribute.

 On Wednesday, Subban received the Governor General Award from Canadian GG David Johnston. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau later took to Twitter to offer his congratulations to Subban for receiving the honor, and the NHL star thanked him. 

Subban also recently pledged to fundraise $10 million to help Montreal Children’s Hospital, which is what Trudeau was referring to in his tweet.

The last game Subban played in a Canadiens uniform was a week shy of a year earlier, March 10, 2016, when he left the ice on a stretcher after he injured his neck, ending his season and, though no one knew it at the time, his career in Montreal.

MONTREAL, QC – MARCH 02: P.K. Subban #76 of the Nashville Predators is teary eyed as the Montreal fans give him a standing ovation during the NHL game against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on March 2, 2017 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)