TSN, Subban Seeks $8.5M in Arbitration, Habs Offer $5.25M

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I have been following this story with great interest, I actually can't believe that Subban is locked up with a long term deal, already. I think it’s insulting that the Habs want to play their former Norris Trophy winner 5.25 million a year. Talk about being low balled. In my opinion, Subban is definitely worth 8 million a year, if not 10 million a year.

TSN.CA -- With both sides scheduled for their hearing on Friday, the Montreal Canadiens and restricted free agent P.K. Subban have set up their respective asking prices in salary arbitration.

According to Ken Campbell of The Hockey News, the Canadiens submitted an offer of $5.25 million on a one-year contract, while Subban - represented by agent Don Meehan of Newport - is asking for $8.5 million.

The one-year offer from both sides would still make Subban a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next summer.

Subban, who signed a two-year deal worth an average annual value of $2.875 million contract prior to the 2012-2013 season, scored 10 goals and added 43 assists in 82 games with the Canadiens in 2013-14.

He also added five goals and 14 points in 17 playoff games and was part of the Canadian men's Olympic team that won gold in Sochi in February.

If Subban was an UFA, it would be interesting to see what other teams would be willing to offer him in the way of a contract. But Subban has stated that he wants to remain a Hab.

No escape from the anti-fighting cabal

English: Hockey fight between the Sudbury Wolves and the Ottawa 67's, around 2006. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

So, there’s an article in the Hockey News about hockey Canada not allowing body checking until their youth players hit the Bantam age, that’s fine. USA Hockey did the same thing. I don’t agree with the move, oh well, we move on and accept it right? However, The Hockey News just can’t help themselves, The Hockey News has to use this as an opportunity to go on an anti-fighting rant. Why?

Ken Campbell, the Hockey News --- The problem is, there’s something about our game that often brings out the worst in us, whether that’s as players or coaches. If all the hits in hockey were clean, hard and done properly and with respect, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation right now. There would be hitting at all levels of hockey and with the exception of the occasional unfortunate incident, everyone would probably be able to live with that. But the “hit to hurt” mentality has filtered down from the highest levels of hockey to the lowest and, as a result, you have far too many situations where body contact is used as a tactic to intimidate, even at the youth hockey level, and that results in too many hits to the head that are leaving vulnerable brains like Matthew Kostuch’s scrambled for years after they are injured.

It’s kind of like fighting. If all NHL fights were the result of two players, who can actually play the game, settling a score in a highly emotional affair, that would be one thing. But once you condone – and promote – fighting, it leaves it open to be used as a tactic, or at the very least, a sideshow.

That then leads to the evolution of enforcers and goons, who have one purpose. And that purpose is to keep the skilled players safe, often from the goons and enforcers who are supposed to be keeping everyone safe out there. It creates a vicious cycle from which there is no escape.

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Wild's Charlie Coyle not suspended

I didn't watch the play live, I was watching the game between the Islanders and the Bruins, however, I do agree with the call and the NHL is making the right call by not suspending Charlie Coyle. I also think that it's  about time that the Minnesota Wild finally end up on the right side of a call from the NHL Department of Players Safety.

BLOG: Wild rookie Charlie Coyle off the hook for major penalty bit.ly/Xjlczb
— Michael Russo (@Russostrib) February 27, 2013

If Charlie Coyle is not suspended for his headshot to Matt Stajan, the NHL's department of player safety should cease operations.
— Ken Campbell (@THNKenCampbell) February 27, 2013