TheColorOfHockey

~ Hockey for Fans and Players of Color

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Tag Archives: Nashville Predators

Wayne Simmonds among players of color moved on NHL trading deadline day

26 Tuesday Feb 2019

Posted by William Douglas in Uncategorized

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Anaheim Ducks, Anthony Duclair, Brandon Montour, Cliff Pu, Los Agelese Kings, Nashville Predators, Nicholas Baptiste, Philadelphia Flyers, Wayne Simmonds

Forward Wayne Simmonds topped the list of players of color who were dealt to new National Hockey League teams prior to the close of Monday’s trade deadline.

 

Forward Wayne Simmonds sent to Nashville Predators.

Simmonds, long a leading scorer and key locker room presence for the Philadelphia Flyers, went to the Nashville Predators for forward Ryan Hartman and a conditional 2020 fourth round draft pick.

 “I was extremely on edge, obviously, not knowing where the day would do or how it would unfold,” Simmonds told Canada’s TSN. “I went to the rink this morning for practice and then I was told I wouldn’t be practicing. I had a chance to say bye to the boys for the last time. It happened at the last minute of the deadline and I’m kind of overwhelmed right now.”

A hard-nosed player with scoring ability around the net, Simmonds was the Flyers seventh-leading scorer this season with 27 points – 16 goals and 11 assists in 62 games.

He notched 24 or more goals in all but one season season since the Flyers acquired him from the Los Angeles Kings in June 2011 along with forward Brayden Schenn and second-round draft pick for forward Mike Richards.

Simmonds played his last game as a Flyer outdoors Saturday night, a 4-3 overtime win against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field. An emotional Simmonds and Flyers teammates knew he would likely be dealt Monday.

At 30, Simmonds is in the final year of his contract and the Flyers reportedly were reluctant to sign him to a long-term deal. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer unless Nashville strikes a deal with him.

Monday’s trade reunites Simmonds with Nashville Coach Peter Laviolette, who was Philadelphia’s bench boss from 2009-10 to 2013-14.

pic.twitter.com/A8TfqyJzPc

— Jakub Voracek (@jachobe) February 25, 2019

"Keep making this push and keep our hopes alive and our dreams alive."

After a thrilling #StadiumSeries win on Saturday night, the #Flyers locker room had an emotional Helmet hand-off. pic.twitter.com/ZT9kOTwinh

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) February 24, 2019

Simmonds scored 32 goals in 2015-16 and 31 goals the following season. Most of those goals came on power plays when he would set up shop in front of the opposing goaltender and wait for deflections or rebounds.

Simmonds suffered a rash of injuries last season – a tear in his pelvic area, a fractured ankle, pulled groin, two mouth injuries, and a torn ligament in his right thumb. Still, he managed to score 24 goals and 22 assists in 75 games.

Embed from Getty Images

The Anaheim Ducks swapped defenseman Brandon Montour to the Buffalo Sabres for defenseman Brendan Guhle and a conditional 2019 first round draft pick. Montour, who grew up in the Six Nations community of Ohsweken in Canada, was Anaheim’s top-scoring defenseman.

Defenseman Brandon Montour dealt to Buffalo Sabres.

He tallied 25 points – 5 goals and 20 assists – in 62 games and logged the fourth-most ice time among Anaheim defenders at 22:40 minutes per game.

The Toronto Maple Leafs obtained forward Nicholas Baptiste from Nashville future considerations. Baptiste, a Buffalo 2013 third round draft pick, had been playing for the Milwaukee Admirals, Nashville’s American Hockey League affiliate. Had 22 points – 12 goals and 10 assists – in 55 games with the Admirals.

The Florida Panthers acquired forward Cliff Pu from the Carolina Hurricanes for future considerations. Pu, a 2016 Buffalo third-round draft pick, had 1 goal and 5 assists for the Charlotte Checkers, the Hurricanes AHL farm team.

Embed from Getty Images

On Saturday, the Columbus Blue Jackets traded speedy forward Anthony Duclair  and second round picks in 2020 and 2021 to the Ottawa Senators for forward Ryan Dzingel. Duclair, a New York Rangers 2013 third round draft pick, had 11 goals and 8 assists in 53 games for Columbus this season.

Follow the Color of Hockey on Facebook and Twitter @ColorOfHockey. And download the Color of Hockey podcast from iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud and Google Play.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Joel Ward says he hasn’t retired from the National Hockey League

12 Tuesday Feb 2019

Posted by William Douglas in Uncategorized

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Joe; Ward, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks, Washington Capitals

Nope, not yet.

Former San Jose Sharks forward Joel Ward says he hasn’t officially retired from the NHL, despite media reports.

Free agent right wing Joel Ward says he hasn’t officially retired from the National Hockey League, contrary to media reports Monday.

In fact, Ward, 38, says he’s still open to joining an NHL team, whether it’s a young club that might need a veteran’s presence or a playoff-bound squad in search of a proven Stanley Cup Playoffs performer.

“No, I haven’t officially retired,” Ward told me in an email Monday night. “I’m always open to catch on a team…internet I tell ya lol they hear one thing and they run with it!”

Media outlets like the NHL Network, CBS Sports and  scores of hockey websites reported that Ward had hung up his skates based on comments he made at the University of Prince Edward Island’s Men’s Hockey Alumni Day. Ward played for the Canadian college team from 2001-02 to 2004-05.

Joel Ward said he considers himself retired from professional hockey while in Charlottetown for UPEI Men's Hockey Alumni Day.

Ward played 11 NHL seasons with the Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, Washington Capitals and San Jose Sharks, recording 133 goals and 171 assists. pic.twitter.com/eKZBR0tzZr

— Complete Hockey News (@CompleteHkyNews) February 11, 2019

A tweet from Complete Hockey News, based on Ward’s comments at the alumni day event, said “Joel Ward considers himself officially retired from professional hockey.”

A CBC story on Ward’s UPEI visit says he is “wrapping his head around retirement.” The tweet and reports were enough to launch a flood of salutes and congratulations to Ward for hanging up his skates.

From getting passed over in the draft to 700+ NHL games. An outstanding career. Congrats, Joel. 🙏 https://t.co/hARDibm0TJ

— Wild Feed (@TheWildFeed) February 12, 2019

Can the Caps convince Joel Ward to come out of retirement? That man was clutch in the playoffs. Thanks for the memories, Joe and best of luck in your future endeavors! @JRandalWard42

— BigSmooth39 (@BigSmooth399) February 11, 2019

Joel Ward has retired from professional hockey. Thanks for being so much fun to watch, Wardo. pic.twitter.com/SHgn9cVxkU

— Washington Capitals Now (@CapitalsNow) February 11, 2019

Love @JRandalWard42! Thanks for the memories Wardo! #ALLCAPS https://t.co/dsbNJ0QLKy https://t.co/xc6F1XTPK9

— Jim Winn (@JTWinner) February 11, 2019

Ward hasn’t played in the NHL or any other pro league since he appeared in 52 games for the San Jose Sharks last season. He had a tryout with the Montreal Canadiens, but didn’t make the  team.

I met Ward at the 2018 Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Toronto in November and he said he was working out on and off the ice with the expectation of playing this season.

Ward has played 11 NHL seasons with the Sharks, Washington Capitals, Minnesota Wild and Nashville Predators. He notched 133 goals and 171 assists in 726 regular season games and 22 goals and 30 assists in 83 playoff contests.

And counting?

Follow the Color of Hockey on Facebook and Twitter @ColorOfHockey. And download the Color of Hockey podcast from iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud and Google Play.

 

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Southern comfort: Black Girl Hockey Club attends Predators, NWHL All-Star games

10 Sunday Feb 2019

Posted by William Douglas in Uncategorized

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Black Girl Hockey Club, Blake Bolden, Nashville Predators, NWHL, P.K. Subban, St. Louis Blues

NASHVILLE  – The Black Girl Hockey Club got a heaping helping of Southern hockey hospitality over the weekend.

The group of female hockey fans of color took in the Nashville Predators-St. Louis Blues matinee Sunday followed by the 2019 National Women’s Hockey League All-Star Game at Bridgestone Arena.

Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban met with the Black Girl Hockey Club, which gathered for the Predators game against the St. Louis Blues on Sunday.

The Preds and the NWHL gave BGHC members and supporters the ya’ll come treatment.  The Predators hosted a Saturday morning skating session for the group on Bridgestone Arena ice and showed Canadian filmmaker Damon Kwame Mason’s award-winning “Soul on Ice, Past, Present & Future” black hockey history documentary on the stadium’s Jumbotron.

BGHC members met Predators defenseman P.K. Subban after the Blues 5-4 win over Nashville. The game’s outcome didn’t diminish Subban’s graciousness in posing for pictures and chatting with the group.

The NWHL reserved a prime seating spot for BGHC at the All-Star game’s skills competition which was held Saturday at a packed Ford Ice Center, the Predators’ practice facility.

Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban talks with Black Girl Hockey Club member Eunice Artis while signing the T-shirt of her son, Isaiah Artis.

The women watched Buffalo Beauts defender Blake Bolden win the hardest shot contest by launching an 80-miles-per-hour slap shot. Bolden, the only black woman on the two NWHL All-Star squads, said she was pumped by the BGHC presence.

“It’s so great, I definitely noticed when my name was called you guys were hollering, it made me feel so good,” Bolden, who has 1 goal and 7 assists in 13 games with Buffalo this season, told the group after the competition. “I appreciate you guys so much being there.”

Blake Bolden, a defender with the NWHL’s Buffalo Beauts shares a moment with Black Girl Hockey Club member Rayla Wilkes, 6, at the 2019 NWHL All-Star Game skills competition Saturday in Nashville.

Nearly three dozen women of color, their families and friends, journeyed from California, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Washington, D.C., and Georgia to attend the weekend festivities and bask in the soul sisterhood of hockey fandom.

The Black Girl Hockey Club was founded by Renee Hess, a Riverside, California, woman who sought to gather a critical mass of women of color who, like her, are interested in hockey but might be hesitant to attend games in stadiums where minority fans are truly a minority.

A dapper Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban signs autographs and poses for pictures with the Black Girl Hockey Club in Smashville Sunday afternoon.

“The whole reason I wanted to come to Nashville was to see the girls play,” Hess said of the NWHL players. “I’ve seen them on video, but never live, so this is really cool. They’re fast, they’re good, I got to see some (Olympic) gold medalists skate today, I mean that’s really awesome.”

Buffalo Beauts defender Blake Bolden, back, and members of the Black Girl Hockey Club after Bolden won the hardest shot competition at the 2019 NWHL All-Star Game festivities in Nashville.

Lisa Ramos drove nine hours from Biloxi, Mississippi, to join the BGHC meet-up in Nashville. She said the drive was no sweat since she and her husband sometimes drive to Canada see her son,  defenseman Ayodele Adeniye, play for the Carleton Place Canadians, a Junior A team in the Central Canada Hockey League.

Adeniye has committed to play hockey next season for the University of Alabama-Huntsville Chargers, an NCAA Division I team in the  Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

“It’s been great getting together with other black female hockey fans and just enjoy the sport, talk about the sport, find out how they came to the sport of hockey – everybody came through different avenues,” Ramos said.

@CIHockeyClub represented when I met PK. Had an incredible weekend with @BlackGirlHockey! Thank you so much @BlackGirlHockey, @soulonicemovie and @ColorOfHockey for hosting a phenomenal experience!!! pic.twitter.com/LO6LleuXu0

— Lisa Ramos (@hkymom99) February 10, 2019

Eunice Artis and her teenage son, Isaiah Artis, said they “felt at home” attending the NWHL events and the Predators game. They ventured to Nashville from Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania.

“It’s nice to see a lot of people of color enjoying hockey,” Eunice Artis said. “You go to hockey games, whether it’s my son playing or a professional games, and literally you’re the only person there or you’re one of two people there. I just feel there’s unity here and I feel at home. It was great seeing the women play, especially a professional woman of color (Bolden) bringing it home.”

Follow the Color of Hockey on Facebook and Twitter @ColorOfHockey. And download the Color of Hockey podcast from iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud and Google Play.

 

 

 

 

 

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The Black Girl Hockey Club road show continues with N.Y. Rangers visit

03 Sunday Feb 2019

Posted by William Douglas in Uncategorized

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Anson Carter, Black Girl Hockey Club, Henrik Lundqvist, Nashville Predators, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Washington Capitals

NEW YORK – The Black Girl Hockey Club took Manhattan over the weekend.

The group of women of color and their supporters attended the New York Rangers-Tampa Bay Lightning game at Madison Square Garden Saturday night, visited the National Hockey League’s Manhattan office, and met Commissioner Gary Bettman Friday.

The group also did a walk-through of the American Legacy Black Hockey History Tour –  a 525 square-foot mobile museum that will tour six U.S. cities as part of the league’s and the National Hockey League Players’ Association’s celebration of Black History Month.

@BlackGirlHockey is in the HOUSE!! pic.twitter.com/iJvA8uvIAD

— SimonSays (@SimonSaysEnt) February 3, 2019

“It’s really just fun to see women who look like me, especially women who are older than me, who like hockey. I’ve not seen that,” said Fatou Bah, an events/marketing/social media entrepreneur and die-hard Washington Capitals fan, who attended the weekend’s festivities.

BGHC was founded by Renee Hess, a Riverside, California, woman who sought to gather a critical mass of women of color who, like her, are interested in hockey but might be hesitant to attend games in arenas where minority fans are truly a minority.

The group held its first meet-up in Washington in December a drew more than 40 women and their children from across the country for a game between the Capitals and Buffalo Sabres.

Some Black Girl Hockey Club members take to the ice at Madison Square Garden after the New York Rangers-Tampa Bay Lightning game (Photo/Courtesy Fatou Bah).

The Rangers invited the group to New York and put on the hospitality with a tour of Madison Square Garden, an ice-level view of the team’s pre-game warm-up, and a meet-and-greet with right wing  Pavel Buchnevich and center Vladislav Namestnikov post-game.

The women also spoke with Anson Carter, the hockey analyst for New York’s MSG Network, NBC Sports Network, and veteran of 674 NHL games.

Black Girl Hockey Club members Fatou Bah, left, and Erica L. Ayala check out black hockey artifacts aboard an American Legacy traveling museum parked outside Madison Square Garden last week as part of the NHL’s Black History Month celebration ((Photo/Jared Silber/MSG Photos).

“We’re trying to diversify our fan base, right? And it’s not just with men, it’s women, too.” Carter said. “To see the Black Girl Hockey Club coming and the momentum that they’re getting, it’s getting parents to see other black women that are down with hockey, too. It’s all about the parents, as far as I’m concerned. If you can get the parents convinced and hooked, then the kids are going to play.”

Stephane Clare arrived from Brooklyn for Saturday’s game in the Full Lundqvist – adorned in a blue Rangers jersey with All-Star goaltender Henrik Lundqvist’s name and number 30 on the back. She was excited to join the BGHC meet-up and have company inside MSG.

Black Girl Hockey Club member Stephane Clare takes a tour of a mobile museum dedicated to black hockey history parked outside Madison Square Garden Saturday (Photo/Jared Silber/MSG Photos).

“Usually I’m the only one at the game – it’s a little better when I go to Islanders games in Brooklyn – but, yeah, at MSG I’m very much in the minority. The more people that get involved with (hockey), off all races and genders, hockey should be much bigger than it is. It’s a great game.”

NHL Network’s Kevin Weekes, rear right, photo bombs Color of Hockey’s William Douglas, Black Girl Hockey Club members and New York Rangers center Vladislav Namestnikov after Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Madison Square Garden (Photo/Rebecca Taylor/MSG Photos).

BGHC’s next stop? Nashville next weekend for a February 10 matinee between the Predators and St. Louis Blues.

The Smashville weekend coincides with the National Women’s Hockey League  All-Star Game, where BGHC members will see Buffalo Beauts defender Blake Bolden and the rest of the league’s best players in action.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman with Black Girl Hockey Club member Fatou Bah at the league’s New York office Friday (Photo/Courtesy Fatou Bah).

BGHC mebers will also be in the house at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center February 16 to watch the New York Islanders take on the Edmonton Oilers.

Follow the Color of Hockey on Facebook and Twitter @ColorOfHockey. And download the Color of Hockey podcast from iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud and Google Play.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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U.S. Olympian Jordan Greenway makes NHL debut with Minnesota Wild

28 Wednesday Mar 2018

Posted by William Douglas in Uncategorized

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2018 Winter Olympics, Jordan Greenway, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators

Jordan Greenway didn’t register a point Tuesday night, but the massive forward still managed to score a hat trick.

Making his National Hockey League debut with the Minnesota Wild against the Nashville Predators in Music City, Greenway skated for his third team on three different hockey levels in a six-week span.

He ended his collegiate career Saturday when Boston University lost to the University of Michigan 6-3 in the Northeast Regional final of the NCAA Frozen Four tournament.

Jordan Greenway, Matt Cullen, Charlie Coyle and Bruce Boudreau on Greenway’s debut, facing Nashville and more. pic.twitter.com/k5lhS9O3lP

— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) March 27, 2018

Last month, Greenway represented the United States at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, becoming the first African-American to play hockey for the U.S. in the Winter Games.

He donned a Wild jersey after he signed a three-year entry level contract Monday. The Wild took the 6-foot-6, 226-pound Greenway in the second round of the 2015 NHL Draft with the 50th overall pick.

“It’s been a quick turnaround, for sure,” the Canton, N.Y., native told reporters. “But it’s all something I’ve wanted to do. It’s something I love doing, and I’m just excited to get everything started, excited to help the team out however I can.”

The newest member of the @mnwild Jordan Greenway joins @FSNGorg after one period of play pic.twitter.com/XIvw9M90Ew

— FOX Sports North (@fsnorth) March 28, 2018

Greenway logged 10:01 minutes of ice time in Minnesota’s 2-1 overtime loss to Nashville, including 50 seconds of power play time and 12 seconds on the penalty kill. He didn’t mange a shot on goal.

He got a taste of the difference between college hockey and the NHL courtesy of a first-period hit from rugged Predators left wing Scott Hartnell.

Keep your head up out there, rook! 😉 A nice welcome to the NHL for Jordan Greenway from #Preds forward Scott Hartnell pic.twitter.com/nLTIN9j9FY

— FOX Sports Tennessee (@PredsOnFSTN) March 28, 2018

Greenway, 21, finished his three years at BU with 28 goals and 64 assists in 112 games. He had 13 goals and 22 assists in 36 games in 2017-18.

In international competition, Greenway scored one goal in five Winter Olympics games; tallied 3 goals and 5 assists on the gold medal-winning U.S. team at the 2016-17 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship in Toronto and Montreal; and notched a goal and 6 assists at the 2014-15 IIHF Under-18 World Junior Championship to help power the U.S. to gold in that tournament.

Follow the Color of Hockey on Facebook and Twitter @ColorOfHockey. And download the Color of Hockey podcast from iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud and Google Play.

 

 

 

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‘Old Man’ Subban delivers holiday cheer to those in need in Nashville and Montreal

23 Saturday Dec 2017

Posted by William Douglas in Uncategorized

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Nashville Predators, P.K. Subban, The Montreal Children's Hospital

It wouldn’t be the holiday season without a P.K. Subban surprise.

The Nashville Predators‘ All Star defenseman went old school – or should we say old man –  again to help spread some holiday joy in Nashville. and of course, to his old friends at the Montreal Children’s Hospital.

It's holiday surprise year four, and I – or shall I say 'Eddie' – is back for much more! A big thank you to @rjosi90 @ChefAntonioPark @PredsNHL @HopitalChildren and all of the other friends who helped make this year happen!! Enjoy folks, and happy holidays!! pic.twitter.com/2sOIvI6dRx

— P.K. Subban (@PKSubban1) December 22, 2017

Subban is enjoying a fine 2017-18 season in Nashville with 7 goals and 17 assists in 34 games. He’s sixth in the NHL in goals among defensemen and tenth in overall scoring – the combination of goals and assists – among the league’s blue-liners.

Follow the Color of Hockey on Facebook and Twitter @ColorOfHockey. And download the Color of Hockey podcast from iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud and Google Play.

 

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Jordan Subban traded as P.K. and Malcolm Subban face each other for the first time in the NHL

08 Friday Dec 2017

Posted by William Douglas in Uncategorized

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Jordan Subban, Los Angeles Kings, Malcolm Subban, Nashville Predators, P.K. Subban, Vegas Golden Knights

Change has been good for two Subbans. Will it be good for a third?

Defenseman Jordan Subban goes from Canucks to Kings.

Defenseman Jordan Subban, who was a Vancouver Canucks, 2013 fourth-round draft pick, was traded to the Los Angeles Kings Friday for forward Nic Dowd.

Jordan, an undersized blue’liner at 5-foot-9, 185-pounds, had spent most of the last three seasons playing for the Utica Comets, the Canuck’s American Hockey League affiliate. He tallied 5 assists in 16 games for the Comets.

He was an offensive dynamo for Utica last season, finishing sixth on the team in scoring with 16 goals and 20 assists in 65 games. He was seventeenth in scoring among all AHL defensemen.

Overall, Subban has totaled 27 goals, 50 assists and 87 penalty minutes in 148 regular season games in the AHL.

Embed from Getty Images

Jordan becomes the second Subban brother to relocate in the 2017-18 hockey season. Goaltender Malcolm Subban,  a Boston Bruins 2014 first-round draft pick, was snatched up by the Vegas Golden Knights after the Bruins placed him on waivers in October.

Embed from Getty Images

Before the move, Malcolm was viewed by some as a player with unfulfilled potential. He appeared in 32 games for the Providence Bruins, Boston’s AHL farm team, and posted an 11-14-1 record with a 2.41 goals-against average and .917 save percentage.

Since his shift to the desert, Malcolm has become an integral part of the feel-good story that is the Golden Knights inaugural season.  He’s filled in admirably  since after starter Marc-Andre Fleury suffered an injury.

The acrobatic Subban has a 6-2 record in eight games with a 2.27 goals-against average – 10th-best among NHL goalies – and a .923 save percentage.

MALCOLM SUBBAN WAS PUT ON WAIVERS? WHAT A SAVE, HOLY! IS THIS THE SAVE OF THE WEEK OR WHAT? pic.twitter.com/O04zRQx6mg

— NHL Daily 365 (@NHLDaily365) November 29, 2017

The NHL rookie netminder faced one his biggest tests Friday night – older brother P.K. Subban and his Nashville Predators. Malcolm made 41 saves and registered a shootout shut out against Nashville in a dramatic 4-3 Golden Knights win.

The contest at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena was the first time the brothers played against each other in an NHL regular season game. Proud papa Karl Subban, was in attendance.

#Howwedidit …Thank You NHL, Vegas Golden Knights and Nashville Predators! It all started with a dream. pic.twitter.com/cWicq9ybpA

— Karl Subban (@SubbanKarl) December 9, 2017

The hockey world was stunned when P.K., a Norris Trophy-winning defenseman, was traded from the Montreal Canadiens to the Predators in June 2016 for Nashville defenseman Shea Weber.

PK Subban on facing Malcolm Subban for the first time tonight. pic.twitter.com/81Kyn95vvR

— Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) December 8, 2017

Montreal’s brain trust felt Weber was a more-reliable blue-liner and a missing piece to their Stanley Cup Final puzzle than the flashier Subban.

Nashville went on to play the Pittsburgh Penguins for the Stanley Cup last season while the Canadiens lost to the New York Rangers in six games in the playoff’s Eastern Conference quarter final.

Embed from Getty Images

P.K. is the Predators’ sixth-leading scorer with 4 goals and 14 assists in 28 games so far this season. He’s 15th in scoring among NHL defensemen. Weber is 22nd among the league’s blue-liners with 6 goals and 10 assists in 23 games.

Follow the Color of Hockey on Facebook and Twitter @ColorOfHockey. And download the Color of Hockey podcast from iTunes, Stitcher, SoundCloud and Google Play.

 

 

 

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P.K. Subban’s dad talks hockey, life and catfish on new Color of Hockey podcast

03 Tuesday Oct 2017

Posted by William Douglas in Uncategorized

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"How We Did It", Boston Bruins, Jordan Subban, Karl Subban, Malcolm Subban, Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators, P.K. Subban, Vancouver Canucks

Karl Subban thought he was done.

The proud papa of three black professional hockey players thought he was finished writing his first book, “How We Did It, The Subban Family Plan For Success In Hockey, School And Life.”

Then The Trade happened.

Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban.

The Montreal Canadiens swapped All-Star defenseman P.K. Subban to the Nashville Predators straight-up for All-Star defenseman Shea Weber.

The move shocked the hockey world, helped guide the Predators to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance, and sent Karl Subban scrambling to his computer to write another chapter for his book.

“Yeah, I had to write it,” Karl told me. “It was unbelievable. It was an unbelievable run to the Stanley Cup Final. I’ve never been through that before. It took me a long time to believe that we were there.”

The elder Subban  talks about his book, The Trade, the Predators’ Stanley Cup run, racism, and what it’s like raising three very talented hockey players in the first episode of the Color of Hockey podcast.

Our new podcast, like this blog, will tell the story of the history and growing impact of people of color in ice hockey at all levels and all aspects of the game – on the ice, off the ice, behind the bench, in the broadcast booth, and in the front office, wherever.

And what better lead-off guest than Karl, father of Pernell Karl (P.K.);  Malcolm, a goaltender and Boston Bruins 2012 first round draft pick who was waived by the B’s this week and claimed by the expansion Vegas Golden Knights; and Jordan, a 2013 Vancouver Canucks fourth-round draft pick who’s a defenseman for the Utica Comets, the Canucks’ American Hockey League franchise in Upstate New York.

P.K. tallied 10 goals and 30 assists in 66 games in his first season in Nashville. He had 2 goals and 10 assists in 22 playoff games.

Malcolm compiled an 11-14-5 record in 32 games for the Providence Bruins and posted a 2.41 goals-against average and .917 save percentage. He was winless in the AHL’s Calder Cup Playoffs with a 2.12 goals-against average and a .937 save percentage.

Jordan notched 16 goals and 20 assists in 65 regular season games last season for Utica. He had 2 goals and an assist in four AHL playoff contests.

Providence Bruins goaltender Malcolm Subban looks to work his way to the NHL (Photo/Alan Sullivan).

True to its title, “How We Did It” gives insight to how Karl and Maria Subban guided their boys through various levels of hockey – from lacing on their first pair of skates skates to hearing their names called at National Hockey League drafts.

“The African proverb, I use it in the book, ‘It takes a village to raise a child,'” Karl told me. “It also takes a village to raise an NHLer…to grow their potential. Maria and I can’t stand there and say ‘Look at us, we did it all by ourselves.'”

At 5-foot-9, defenseman Jordan Subban is out to prove that he belongs with big brother P.K. in the NHL (Photo/Lindsay A. Mogul/Utica Comets).

But the book is also deals with immigration – Karl’s family moved to Canada from Jamaica and Maria’s from Montserrat – education, and the ugly realities of racism, an issue that P.K. first confronted when he was an 8 year old playing minor hockey in Toronto.

It’s a lesson that Karl, a semi-retired Toronto public school principal, was sadden that his son learned so early.

“He came out of the dressing room crying. He said a boy on the ice called him the N-word,” Karl writes in the book. “We said there was no need to cry because it was only a word. We probably said something about ‘sticks and stones.’ There weren’t too many kids playing who looked like P.K., but now someone had communicated it to him in a way he didn’t like.”

He’s endured racist taunts and attitudes as a pro, most notably during the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs when so-called Bruins unleashed a torrent of hateful emails and social media posts after he scored two goals, including the double-overtime winner.

Embed from Getty Images

When confronted with racist ugliness, Karl says P.K. follows a bit of advice that he gave him: Don’t let them win.

“I’ve told P.K. it’s vital to change the channel, because if you ruminate over it, you can’t free yourself from it,” the elder Subban writes. “It does take practice, though – and P.K. has had a lot of practice.”

Karl had to change the channel when the Canadiens traded P.K.. Montreal was Karl’s team ever since he was a boy growing up in Sudbury, Ontario, watching the Canadiens’ French broadcast on TV, and dreaming of being Habs goaltender Ken Dryden.

As an adult, he thought there was nothing like seeing a game in hockey-mad Montreal. Then came Nashville.

“I didn’t think there was anything better until I got to Nashville, and then I said ‘Wow!'” he told me. “It’s so different and a great experience. It’s the music there, the environment. After the game, the honky tonks, the bars, the food, I love country music. And then we went on that (Stanley Cup) run, and the city, which is alive anyway 24/7, it was taken to another level.”

But Karl still can’t quite get used to what’s becoming a tradition in Nashville: fans tossing catfish onto the Bridgestone Arena ice.

“I just want to eat those catfish,” he told me. “There’s a restaurant where I go, they have this catfish thing and I love it. Like, I’m saying ‘please don’t throw them on the ice. Can you just give them to that restaurant I go to and have them prepare it the way they prepare it there.”

Follow the Color of Hockey on Facebook and Twitter @ColorOfHockey. Download the Color of Hockey podcast on iTunes, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.

 

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‘How You Like Me Now?’ P.K. Subban plays on while Montreal is out of playoffs

23 Sunday Apr 2017

Posted by William Douglas in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators, P.K. Subban, She Weber, Stanley Cup Playoffs

Let us turn to the hockey sage Kool Moe Dee for the right words while discussing Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban,  the Montreal Canadiens, and the Habs’ first-round exit from the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban.

A song by Dee – or is it Mr. Moe Dee? –  probably best sums up how Subban must have felt after watching the Canadiens – his former employer – burp up a two-game-to-one series lead and suffer a 3-1 loss to the New York Rangers Saturday that ousted the Habs from the playoffs:

“How You Like Me Now?”

Last summer, Subban was the poster boy for Montreal’s dysfunction – the Habs’ failure to make the playoffs (seeming to forget that All-World goaltender Carey Price only appeared in 12 games in 2015-16 season due to injury), rumored unrest in the locker room, and the inability of the coach to execute his master plan to lead the Canadiens to the Stanley Cup.

Subban was deemed by the Canadiens’ organ-i-zation to be too flamboyant, too selfish, too headstrong, too irresponsible defensively to be trusted.

So they shipped him to Nashville in June for defenseman Shea Weber in a move that then-Head Coach Michel Therrien proclaimed made the Canadiens “a better team now.”

So how’d it work out?  The Habs fired Therrien in February after the team faded following a 13-1-1 start to the 2016-17 season. Montreal finished atop the National Hockey League’s  Atlantic Conference with a 47-26-9 record and Cup expectations were high, particularly after the trade and Therrien’s dismissal. Then came the Rangers.

Embed from Getty Images

 

As for the trade participants, Weber had a good year in Montreal, scoring 17 goals and 25 assists in 78 games. Subban had an injury-plagued regular season that limited him to 10 goals and 30 assists in 66 games. Subban played 12 fewer games than Weber but scored 40 points to Weber’s 42.

But the bottom line stat for most fans is that Subban and the Predators are still in the playoffs. Weber and the Canadiens aren’t after making what was sold as a “win now” trade.

While Montreal players head to the golf course, Subban and the Predators face the St. Louis Blues in Round Two of the playoffs.

Nashville’s four-game sweep of the Chicago Blackhawks was so defensively dominant that Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne tallied as many points – 2 – as All-Star snipers Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews , who were the Chicago’s top scorers in the series.

Revenge is as sweet as the ice tea served cold south of the Mason-Dixon line, and Subban fans are basking in Montreal’s playoff misfortune. Cue Elton John’s “I’m Still Standing.”

PK Subban would have scored there. pic.twitter.com/qVVRsZEzLC

— MetSZN Road Warrior (@IslesRW) April 13, 2017

Lets go live to PK subban pic.twitter.com/3daOvaLdFg

— Bailey (@Bailoading) April 23, 2017

@PKSubban1 this morning when he's off to the 2nd round & @CanadiensMTL are not #PKSubban #MTLvsNYR #Predators pic.twitter.com/tlnPt98fZM

— Jason (@JHagholm1) April 23, 2017

If y'all weren't expecting PK Subban tweets after Preds swept and Habs died in game 6 of round 1, then I don't know why y'all even twitter.

— Mimi (@MimiLeMeow) April 23, 2017

People do understand now that PK Subban's wasn't the reason of #Habs failure. Because trading him didn't change a thing. Even with Price.

— Edberg_Subban (@taphengsai) April 23, 2017

every available photo of P.K. Subban looks like someone just told him Shea Weber's grit & leadership will lead the Habs to the promised land pic.twitter.com/bDubTaPlPm

— Justin Morissette (@JustinMoris) April 23, 2017

We bring you a live look in at P K Subban. pic.twitter.com/AXHcrPMQXh

— FlashScore.ca (@FlashScoreCA) April 23, 2017

@larsellers Nope but happy subban is seeing a second round after everything he's been through 🙌🏼😏

— mellebellexo (@HabsGirl_xo) April 23, 2017

Follow the Color of Hockey on Facebook and Twitter @ColorOfHockey

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The Joel Ward hockey story – by writer Joel Ward

02 Tuesday Aug 2016

Posted by William Douglas in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Joel Ward, Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks, Washington Capitals

San Jose Sharks forward Joel Ward

San Jose Sharks forward Joel Ward

More often than not, no one can tell your story better than you can.

Catching up on my summer hockey reading, I came across this marvelous piece on the fascinating, deeply moving, hockey and life journey of San Jose Sharks forward Joel Ward in  The Players’ Tribune. The author? Joel Ward. Give the story a read.

"Hockey saved me."@JRandalWard42 on his father's tragic passing and the long road he took to the @NHL. https://t.co/OCH7vtbYmk

— The Players' Tribune (@PlayersTribune) July 31, 2016

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