New hockey rule: If you want to get into the groove before a serious game, don’t dance.
Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban.
Milbury took umbrage Friday night to Nashville Predators D-man P.K. Subban dancing during warm-ups before the Preds’ Stanley Cup Playoffs game against the St. Louis Blues.
He called Subban a clown.
https://twitter.com/HockeyWebCast/status/858292487554818048
“I know it’s a new day and age and everybody wants to be on Instagram or Twitter,” Milbury said on a pre-game show before the Predators-Blues tilt. “But you’ve got to keep focus. This is a tough game. When I see this I start to think maybe (Predators Head Coach) Peter Laviolette ought to give him a rap on the head and say, ‘Hey, P.K., focus in, we’ve got a game tonight and you don’t have to be a clown out there.'”
Milbury, the astute hockey mind who, as general manager of the New York Islanders, traded away goalie Roberto Loungo, defenseman Zdeno Chara, signed All-World bust Alexei Yashin to a $90 million contract and took goalie Rick DiPietro with the first overall pick in the 2000 NHL Draft, added that Subban has “been a clown in the past and we’ve seen him act like a clown but when he’s serious and focused he’s one hell of a player.”
So, Mike, a brother can’t do a little dance in warm-up? I wonder what Jeremy Roenick, your fellow NBC hockey analyst might have said if he was sitting next to you Friday night instead of Keith Jones?
And it’s not like Subban was dancing during a game, like former Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Andre Dupont did in the game that clinched the Stanley Cup for the orange and black against the Boston Bruins in 1974. Few people complained about “The Dupont Shuffle.”
Former NHL forward Alex Kovalev was known to break out into a moonwalk before, during, and after games.
Needless to say, Milbury’s rant didn’t go down too well on social media.
This isn't a good look at all, Mike Milbury. https://t.co/er1I9fdepE
— SB Nation NHL (@SBNation_NHL) April 29, 2017
Mike Milbury is another old white guys who speak in code about PK, remember kids there is no room for fun or personality in hockey
— Connor Lapalme (@Connor_Lapalme) April 29, 2017
For the people who say let the PK Subban argument die – I present Mike Milbury as proof it's never been about hockey
— Elliott Price (@ElliottFPrice) April 29, 2017
Mike Milbury called PK Subban a clown? The same Milbury that did this: https://t.co/amdEvAuBSR
What a joke.#BecauseItsTheCup #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/j98521Txps
— SprtsPodcast (@SprtsPodcast) April 29, 2017
Yo, Mike, how’s this for busting a move on ice?
Follow the Color of Hockey on Facebook and Twitter @ColorOfHockey
PK was pretty tame! I think Mr. Milbury let his mouth get ahead of his brain.
Wow, Mike M. you are somewhat prehistoric, but micro aggression Omni present, you insult PK Subban then you compliment him at the end, all according to some thought process of having control over another, hockey is for everyone Mike, regardless if we like it or not. I know you are not a racist, however a little education is required, there is no ownership involved here Mike, why? Hockey is for everyone and individual intent to warming up is a personal, after the ritual team components are over or before they start. Now to clarify even more, people are not all of the same ethnic background or even the same household, environment dictates differences in everything! I am not going to give a course on it here. PK Subban is not a clown nor is he a detriment to the sport of hockey as your comment may be taken, he is a plus as all of those participating who are finding their way via “legal” amusement expression, entertainment is exactly what hockey is a part of, it belongs once again to no one racial group, those days are long gone. Agree to disagree if you desire to but it will not change the factual. Expression or differences has always been misunderstood by some, education and science have proven the only problem existing for different cultural or personal activity remain a closed mind guided by ignorance to appreciation of others and their mannerism. We should smile and enjoy the antics of PK Subban, as Mr. Williams mentioned in his article, Moose Dupont a fine man is adored for his dance, JR was complimented by many not all but majority, wonder if they were somewhat darker in skin tone how the re-action would be? We could expand but no need, leave PK alone and stick to the game evaluations of performance either positive or negative.
Well said, as usual, Coach!