I demanded it and it happened: Pernell Karl Subban is a New Jersey Devil. I’ll get into the particulars of what this trade means for the Predators and Devils (spoiler alert: both sides are pleased), but first i would like to soapbox about what this means to me personally.

P.K. Subban has long been one of my favorite players in the league. His blackness is without question a significant part of the reason why I love him. However, Subban is far from the only high-level black player I’ve seen in my hockey-watching life and I didn’t have the same level of affection for many of those guys. For example, I watched Jerome Iginla growing up, albeit a tick past his prime, and while he was an excellent player, I didn’t feel any sort of special attachment to him. The same goes for Bryce Salvador, probably the most prominent black player to ever put on a Devils sweater. When i think of Salvador, i think of his leadership and the high-quality performance he turned in during New Jersey’s run to the Finals in 2012, before i think of his skin color.

It’s much different with Subban. In my mind, his skin color is the driving factor in his mystique,  but that alone is not the source of my adoration for him. Rather his blackness and approach to life coupled with the sometimes chilly reception he receives from hockey observers is where my admiration for him is derived. P.K. Subban is the living embodiment of Black Boy Joy. It’s almost like i’ve never seen him with anything but a cheerful demeanor. He has a relentlessly positive attitude and you’d think a guy like that would be one of the darlings of the league. But he’s not. Very frequently, Subban is villainized as a selfish, “me-first” player by the NHL commentariat, while his fun approach to the game is also decried.

The thing that is so awe-inspiring about Subban is how he doesn’t let any of this bother him. He’s a black man navigating an extremely white space but it seems like nothing can ever get him down. Part of the reason why this blog even exists is because of Subban’s outlook. Just because you don’t look like the other folks doing a certain thing, doesn’t mean you can’t join in and have a ton of fun doing it. So the fact that this man will be playing his home games in Newark, NJ in the fall warms my heart like some fine soul food.

Skin complexion and personality aside, my favorite hockey team is getting one of the best defensemen on the planet. The Devils have long coveted a true number one defenseman. Andy Greene had been playing that role for approximately the last decade (if you ask me, he should have been an Olympian in 2014, but that’s neither here nor there) but has slowed down tremendously in recent years. Given this, they chased after Kevin Shattenkrik (HA!) in 2017 and would have been in the mix to sign John Carlson if he had opted to test free agency last offseason. I can almost guarantee you they would have been in on Erik Karlsson and they were rumored to be interested in acquiring Jacob Trouba before the Rangers scooped him up. Although Trouba is considerably younger than Subban, I believe the Devils got the better player between the two of them. Last year was certainly a down year for Subban. I remember thinking how bizarre it was that he was barely logging any minutes in overtime against Dallas in Game six, where the Predators were ultimately eliminated. In all fairness to Subban, he was banged up for a lot of last season, but there were times he looked like a second pair guy at best.

As recently as 2018, however, he was playing Norris-caliber hockey. Subban has always been a big time puck-moving, possession-driving defenseman and, at age 30, I see no reason why that would change. There were several players on Nashville last year who had subpar seasons, so I definitely would call last year an aberration for him. I fully expect him to return to form and give the Devils’ backend the boost it has sorely needed for a number of seasons.

I’m sure Nashville is sad to see Subban go, but really it’s for the best. The Predators were right up against the cap but, as they’re presently constructed, need more help to become true Stanley Cup contenders. They’re certainly close, but the offense could absolutely use a bit more juice. It’s clear they have interest in Matt Duchene; Nashville wanted to be the destination for him in 2017 when they helped facilitate the three team deal that landed Duchene in Ottawa and Kyle Turris in the Music City. This trade frees them up to aggressively pursue Duchene. Moreover, the Preds now have the wiggle room to get a deal done with Roman Josi, who, uh, is due for a little bit of a raise from the $4 million he’ll make in the last year of his contract next season.

It’s also not like they’re losing Subban for nothing. No, they aren’t getting William Nylander or another high-level NHL talent, the type that was being floated in the many possible permutations of trades with Toronto (the team many thought would end up with Subban). However, they got a pair of decent prospects, a very high second-rounder in this year’s draft (which they used to trade back and amass more draft capital) and another second-rounder next year (which is hopefully in the 50’s or 60’s because that means that Devils were a playoff team). Again, not a massive haul but good enough considering they have to retain none of Subban’s $9 million salary.

Both clubs walk away from this deal well-positioned for the future. I am absolutely over the moon that a player that has been so important to my hockey fandom will be lacing up for the Devils (and filling their biggest need no less!). Packaged with the addition of Jack Hughes, it’s an extremely exciting time to be a supporter of the New Jersey Devils.