P.K. Subban - What happened?

[Bull]

I tried searching for a post on this here but couldn't find exactly what I was looking for nor on a basic Google AI search with a result of "reality of decline". PK was 32 his last season before he retired. As a Norris-winning D-man, what exactly were the "tangibles" or in-tangibles with his game that led to his decline and early retirement that can be described here? Saying, "he lost a step" isn't necessarily what I'm looking for. I'm asking more about the actual things that he was doing or not doing on the ice that made it obvious that his window was over, eg: "could never make a first pass out of the zone without sending it RIGHT to the opposition on a consistent basis" or "every time he pinched, it led to an odd-man rush the other way". Appreciate the input.

 

[Jee]

injuries and probably some ego (cares a lot about his brand)

 

[I am not exposed]

He became one of the most annoying talking heads on television.

 

[Tasteless Beaver]

His game was contingent on speed. Injuries greatly slowed him down, and he had no strengths left to perform as a superstar anymore. No sense in hurting yourself for one-year, minimum-wage contracts.

 

[GlitchMarner]

I can't say I watched him often in his last year or two, but I read/heard that he bulked up quite a lot and became slower. He also had injuries.

He was never a high IQ type. He was a natural athlete who lost speed and mobility, and I seem to recall he didn't have much left by the end other than firing one-timers wide/at shin pads on the PP on a regular basis.

Not that he was ever as good, but Morgan Rielly seems to be declining in a similar manner (can't skate or move like he used to).

 

[Fatass]

Got chubby.

 

[Frank Drebin]

He looked like he was skating in mud the last couple years

 

[Goptor]

He lost a step. He changed his game into more of a physical 3rd pairing guy that still had a solid shot. He was still good enough to probably last another 3 years as a depth guy but the media opportunity was obvious and it pays better with less of a commitment than professional athletes do.

 

[TotalHomer]

He started wearing a bathrobe instead of a suit

 

[BLNY]

He had chronic back issues his last few years. Lost the foot speed he had to separate. Never really had top end speed.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

Back injury, he was an absolutely incredible skater and lost it

 

[Andrei79]

Injuries, poor training habits, poorer fundamentals. When his high end athleticism cratered he didn't have a solid foundation to fall back to.

 

[BB79]

He became one of the most annoying talking heads on television.

And thinks he's Don Cherry with those suits

 

[syz]

My memory is he got way into weightlifting and f***ed up his back.

 

[HansonBro]

Peekaboo Street told him to stop

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

His game was contingent on speed. Injuries greatly slowed him down, and he had no strengths left to perform as a superstar anymore. No sense in hurting yourself for one-year, minimum-wage contracts.

I think he was also athletic as hell, and once 30 hits some of those dudes just don’t know what to do. The quick twitch muscles don’t fire as quick, you’re sore, your diet and training maybe aren’t as dialed in as dudes who have had to grind from the beginning. You gain weight, and just aren’t used to having imperfect control of exactly what you’re doing. And you just don’t think the game or know how to approach it like a McDonaugh or someone does.

Different style, but I feel like Phaneuf was somewhat similar. The game changed on him as well, but he went from being a passable skater to a lurch/bambi combo right around the time 30 hit.

 

[CTHabsfan]

And thinks he's Don Cherry with those suits

 

[Nocashstyle]

Of his last 3 NHL seasons, ironically his last season was comfortably his best. At that point he finally realized/accepted that he lost a step and was unable to play the flashy and high event style that won a Norris. He was solid once he finally sat back more and simplified his game. I’m certain he could have gotten an offer somewhere if he wanted to.

 

[Satoru Gojo]

Injuries, unfortunate as he was fun to watch

 

[Winston Wolf]

It was all downhill after Lindsey Vonn proposed to him.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I think he was also athletic as hell, and once 30 hits some of those dudes just don’t know what to do. The quick twitch muscles don’t fire as quick, you’re sore, your diet and training maybe aren’t as dialed in as dudes who have had to grind from the beginning. You gain weight, and just aren’t used to having imperfect control of exactly what you’re doing. And you just don’t think the game or know how to approach it like a McDonaugh or someone does.

Different style, but I feel like Phaneuf was somewhat similar. The game changed on him as well, but he went from being a passable skater to a lurch/bambi combo right around the time 30 hit.

This is a good summary. Subban played the game from the neck down. When he had an athletic edge on his opponents he thrived. When the athletic side was evened out, his game cratered and he quickly became a net-negative type of player.

He also attracted a lot of negative attention for his slewfooting habit, and for prioritizing his off-ice career. Even if he was capable of playing for longer, organizations didn’t necessarily want him around creating issues. And he had developed enough of a plan for his career in media that he just walked away.

 

[lawrence]

Rumors swirled that he overplayed his hand in the 2022 offseason reportedly demanding a one way deal while teams viewed him as depth. Months passed without serious offers. A team offered him a tryout contract, he rejected , deeming it insulting, and gambled on his reputation. It backfired. No offers followed, ending his career.

 

[I am not exposed]

It was all downhill after Lindsey Vonn proposed to him.

She's alright, but it's not like other players wives and girlfriends are not of the same standard or higher.

 

[Turin]

He got too thicc and injured himself and became slow

 

[JFedol]

Lindsey Vohn a bad bitch