The New Jersey Devils have certainly been slow coming out of the gate this season. The team is 2-4-2 and is currently sitting in sixth place in the Metropolitan Division.

New Jersey has scored 19 goals and given up 31 in its first eight games. Star forward Taylor Hall only recently scored his first goal of the season in a 6-4 loss to the Florida Panthers.

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Alternate captain Travis Zajac recently articulated much of the frustration felt by the team early on.

“It’s just not easy for us right now so we’ve just got to keep it going,” Zajac said. “We’ve got to dig in and just find a way to get a win. That’s got to be the focus. That’s it.”

However, the Devils bounced back after last week’s loss to the Panthers to earn two straight victories: a 5-2 win over the New York Rangers on Thursday and a 1-0 defeat of the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.

A lot is expected this season out of new No. 1 overall pick Jack Hughes. The rookie has yet to live up to the hype, as he has surrendered himself to the learning curve that comes with playing in the NHL. Hopefully for the Devils, Hughes can continue to develop into the star that he is projected to be.

The less-than-stellar defense for the Devils has been led by veteran defenseman P.K. Subban and goaltender Cory Schneider. Those two — among others — will look to step up and lead the team going forward.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW 

The Devils will have the opportunity to turn their recent misfortune around in their upcoming games. Tickets are still available on StubHub, so be sure to get yours before they are all gone!

Here is the list of the Devils’ next few games:

October 25

Home vs. Arizona Coyotes

October 30

Home vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

November 1

Home vs. Philadelphia Flyers

November 2

Away @ Carolina Hurricanes

November 5

Away @ Winnipeg Jets

November 7

Away @ Calgary Flames

November 8

Away @ Edmonton Oilers

November 10

Away @ Vancouver Canucks

November 13

Home vs. Ottawa Senators

November 15

Home vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

November 16

Away @ Montreal Canadiens

Those owning NHL ’19 may stop and look twice the next time they slide in their disc ready to hit the virtual ice, as the video game’s cover athlete, P.K. Subban, now sports new colors after trading in the Nashville Predators threads that Subban parades across the game’s cover.

Now a New Jersey Devil, Subban looks to captain the ship as a key piece during the Devils’ current rebuild stage. His top-tier defensive skills and ability to total over 50 points during multiple seasons adds needed talent to the lowly 31–win Devils. As exchange pieces for Subban, New Jersey sends over defenseman Stevn Santini, prospect Jeremy Davies, a 2019 second-round pick, and another 2020 second-rounder. The Devils will eat up Subban’s entire contract, as Subban’s high price and consequential heavy cap hit likely explains why the Predators proceeded to move the former Norris Trophy winner.

Subban played seven years as a Montreal Canadian before being traded to the Predators. As a Predator, Subban helped the team along an unexpected yet impressive ride to the 2017 Stanley Cup Final, which they eventually lost to the Pittsburg Penguins 4–2.

SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2019- TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

Prior to joining the Devils, both sides expressed respect and favorability toward each other, as Nashville general mange David Poile stated: “We appreciate P.K.’s contribution to the Predators and the Nashville community over the past three seasons, which have seen our organization have unprecedented success. He was an integral part of our run to the 2017 Stanley Cup Final, the 2018 Presidents’ Trophy and back-to-back Central Division titles. His work off the ice speaks for itself.”

Subban himself issued his thanks to the Predators and their fans as well with a tweet.

Devils general manger Ray Shero quickly expressed his excitement after acquiring Subban’s talents. After the trade, Shero stated, “Personality’s great. If this was the NBA … they have personality. There’s nothing wrong with that. P.K. Subban is a great kid. He’s got enthusiasm. And I like that. Freshness is good. Adding talent is one thing. But the whole idea of P.K.’s enthusiasm for the game and for life, I think that’s a real positive for us and for the NHL.” Subban is set to commence his time as a Devil once the NHL season opens up in early October.

If everyone thought the fist fights in pro hockey were getting out of hand, wait till they get a bite of this.

Subban Accuses Bellemare Of Finger-Biting

The Predators were playing the Golden Knights on Wednesday when things started getting out of hand… and teeth too. With only 26 seconds left in the second period, tempers started flaring and P.K. Subban and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare got into it.

At the beginning of the fight you can see Subban and Bellemare fighting for position alongside the goal box. They get tangled up a bit and Subban punches Bellemare in the back of the head. Afterwards, you see Subban reach around Bellemare’s face mask and try to lift him up. However, immediately after trying that, Subban rips his hand away while grabbing his finger and yelling out ” He bit me”.

Subban had this to say following the incident: “All I tried to do was grab him.” He later continued and said, “I grabbed him by the head to pull him up and he bit me, so that’s it. I don’t know what to say.” Subban was seen with blood dripping down his jersey from this incident.

30 SPORTS FIGURES WHO DIED IN 2018 – TRIBUTE SLIDESHOW

It was certainly an awkward situation for both parties. Bellemare claims he never bit Subban to began with. In fact, he pushed the notion that this was more Subban’s fault than anything. Bellemare later told reporters “He tried to pull me up, so obviously he’s feeling teeth and he’s acting on it. I don’t know what to tell you, really.”

Bellemare says it was mere coincidence that led to him biting Subban and that it’s not his fault.

“What do you want me to say?” Bellemare said. “Like, I have a half glove in my throat and playing with the back of it and pulling me up. There was no mouth guard when he pulls up. Those are my teeth.”

The referees weren’t sure if Bellemare bit him or not so no penalty was enforced on him. The last biting accident in the NHL cost Vancouver’s Antoine Roussel over $5,000.

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)

Defenseman P.K. Subban was traded by the Montreal Canadians to the Nashville Predators for defenseman Shea Weber on Wednesday.

Canadiens’ P.K. Subban Traded To Predators For Shea Weber

“I’m excited to get down there,” Subban said. “I got along with a lot of the guys during All-Star weekend and some of the guys have already reached out. I want to come in, listen and learn. In turn I want to be a leader and a great player for the franchise.”

The 27-year-old Canadian had 51 points in 68 games this season. He missed the final month after sustaining a neck injury March 10 against the Buffalo Sabres. Subban, who was selected by the Canadiens as the 43rd pick in the second round of the 2007 NHL Draft, has 278 points in 434 games. He won the Norris Trophy in 2013 and was a finalist for the NHL Foundation Award this season.

“This is a great hockey club that’s got a lot of potential and a great future ahead of it,” Subban said of the Predators. “I was traded for their captain so I’d like to think that the expectations are for me to come in and not just be a great player for this franchise but also a leader.”

The Toronto native has six years remaining on an eight-year contract he signed Aug. 2, 2014. He has a league salary-cap charge of $9 million, 2021-22 season. Subban also has a no-movement clause that goes into effect Friday.

“P.K. Subban is one of the best defensemen in the National Hockey League… offensively he’s an equal to Shea Weber,” Predators general manager David Poile said. “This was an incredibly hard deal to make. We did this to improve our team and we did that today.”

Trade rumors had been surrounding Subban since the end of the season, but the Canadien said he wasn’t paying attention to this.

“I think that with a lot of the chatter that kind of happened over the little while, I’m a firm believer that usually where there’s smoke, there’s fire,” Subban said. “At no point did I ever, obviously, want to leave Montreal or even was given a notion from anybody that I would be traded, but we know the way the business works.”

Weber, the 30-year-old Predators captain, had 20 goals and 51 points in 78 regular-season games, as well as three goals and seven points in 14 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

“We completed today an important transaction which I am convinced will make the Canadiens a better team,” Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin said. “It was also one of the most difficult decisions I had to make as general manager of the Montreal Canadiens. In Shea Weber we get a top-rated NHL defenseman with tremendous leadership and a player who will improve our defensive group as well as our power play for many years to come. Shea Weber led all NHL defensemen last season with 14 power-play goals. He is a complete rearguard with impressive size and a powerful shot. P.K. Subban is a special and very talented player. He provided the Canadiens organization with strong performances on the ice and generous commitment in the community. I wish him the best of luck with the Predators.”

A second-round pick (No. 49) in the 2003 draft, Weber is second in Nashville history in goals scored (166) and games played (763), and third in points (443). He has also played in the NHL All-Star Game four times. He has played in the NHL All-Star Game four times. He finished second in voting for the Norris Trophy in 2011 and 2012, and won the Mark Messier Leadership Award this season.

Weber has 10 years remaining on his 14-year, $110 million contract. He signed it with the Philadelphia Flyers as a restricted free agent, although the Predators matched the offer sheet on July 24, 2012.

Caption: GLENDALE, AZ – FEBRUARY 15: P.K. Subban #76 of the Montreal Canadiens and Antoine Vermette #50 of the Arizona Coyotes during the NHL game at Gila River Arena on February 15, 2016 in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Canadiens 6-2. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban participated in an act of kindness by tossing out pucks as souvenirs to fans who attended Sunday’s open practice at the Bell Centre in Montreal, although an unfortunate throw hit a one-month-old baby in the head, giving her a concussion.

Canadiens’ P.K. Subban Accidentally Gives Baby Concussion

In a French Facebook post by Valerie Meroche, the baby’s mother, says that the puck thrown by Subban accidentally hit her daughter in the head, knocked her unconscious, and gave her a concussion. The baby was taken to Montreal Children’s Hospital for evaluation, and is expected to make a full recovery. Coincidentally enough, this same hospital named a wing ‘Atrium P.K. Subban’ after the hockey player and his foundation donated $10 million last year.

Donald Beauchamp, the Canadiens’ vice-president of communications, said the team visited the girl on Monday.

“Members of the organization went to meet the family on Monday morning,” Beauchamp said, via a translation of TV Anouvelles. “The players feel quite involved in an event like this. Whenever possible, they always try to be cautious when launching a puck into the stands.”

He also added that Subban ‘felt terrible,’ was glad to hear the girl was ok, and was eager to meet the family.

Beauchamp also stated that the team would look into changing the policy of players tossing pucks into the crowd after games and practices, despite calling the incident a “freak accident.”

Caption: GLENDALE, AZ – FEBRUARY 15: P.K. Subban #76 of the Montreal Canadiens and Antoine Vermette #50 of the Arizona Coyotes during the NHL game at Gila River Arena on February 15, 2016 in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Canadiens 6-2. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)