The retirement of PK Subban made Michel Therrien react.
During his segment on the program “La Poche Bleue le midi”, the former coach of the Canadiens wanted to demystify a popular belief regarding his relationship with his former protege.
“First, I want to make one thing clear with everyone. A lot of people thought we didn’t have a good relationship, but I loved directing PK Subban. It’s like a racehorse, you have to guide it but you know you can win the Kentucky derby. I like that as much as having an old ”picouille” as we see in Old Montreal that you have to kick it to move forward. He was a player who had a natural talent and who was exciting to watch play.
The former Canadiens and Penguins pilot also believes that he had managed to find the best possible recipe for his flamboyant defenseman to achieve success.
“The thing I remember from PK Subban is that he played his best hockey in Montreal. The Montreal market excited him. It was necessary to calm him down on occasion. We had to make sure he got in line often. As a coach, it was my job to make sure PK was focused on performing. I asked the players to make sure to earn the respect of teammates. It was the most important thing for me. You have to do the right things on the ice, outside and in the locker room. Without the respect of others, you are not much.
Therrien admits, however, having accepted to wear the “bad guy” hat to clean up the relationship between Subban and the other players on the team.
“When I arrived in Montreal, PK was on strike because of his contract. I knew how he was before. I knew that the veterans of the team were trying to put PK in order. I got the group of veterans together and I knew they were tough on PK. I told the guys I was going to take it personally. It was my responsibility as a coach and as a leader. I wanted to do the dirty work so they might focus on hockey. It was a bit of a controversial approach, but I managed to get the best out of PK down the line.”
Despite everything, the former coach says he is disappointed to see his former protege retire so young when he would have had the talent for an even better career.
“I have never interfered in a player’s contract negotiations. I know that Geoff Molson was involved at the end of the PK contract negotiations. Honestly, I still find it disappointing that a player with such great potential announces his retirement at 33 years old. It shows that the priorities were perhaps not always in the right place. As far as I’m concerned, PK Subban should still play in the NHL. It is very very very young to announce his retirement.
Watch the segment in question in the video above.