PK Subban's departure from the NHL: Why did the defenseman retire at age 33?

PK Subban is a retired NHL defenseman who is now 33 years old. He played for the Montreal Canadiens, the Nashville Predators, and the New Jersey Devils over the course of 13 seasons in the NHL.

His early retirement surprised fans. After three years with the New Jersey Devils, he became an unrestricted free agent. Subban intended to keep playing, but the lack of opportunities and new contracts forced him to retire on September 20, 2022.

The announcement was made in a detailed Twitter message in which he acknowledged his parents, fans, and teams that were part of his 13-year NHL journey.

"Thank You!!"- @PKSubban1 via Tweeter

Subban started his professional ice hockey career with the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He played for the Bulls for four seasons, racking up 76 points in 56 games.

In the 2007 NHL entry draft, the Canadiens selected PK Subban as the 43rd overall choice in the second round. This marked the beginning of his career in the NHL.

Although he signed an entry-level contract with the Canadiens, he was yet to make his NHL debut. Once the Canadiens selected him 43rd in the 2007 NHL entry draft, Subban went on to play for the AHL's Hamilton Bulldogs.

As a result of his time spent refining his skills with Hamilton, his career highlight occurred on February 12, 2010, when he made his NHL debut against the Philadelphia Flyers.

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PK Subban: The NHL journey begins

PK Subban in action during Buffalo Sabres v New Jersey Devils

PK Subban's career in the NHL was well underway and the only thing holding him back at that point was a lack of playing time. Consequently, he had to play for the AHL's Hamilton Bulldogs until he was called up for the Canadiens, where he excelled so brilliantly that he earned the league's President's Trophy.

During the Canadiens' game against the Minnesota Wild on March 20, 2011, Subban made history by becoming the first defenseman rookie in franchise history to score a hat-trick. The Canadiens won the game 8-1.

During his time in the NHL, PK Subban played the majority of his games with the Montreal Canadiens (2009-2016). He then moved on to play for the Nashville Predators (2016-2019) before ending his career with the New Jersey Devils (2019-2022).

Subban appeared in 834 games and amassed 467 points, including 115 goals and 352 assists.

The 33-year-old former defenseman has won the James Norris Memorial Trophy (2013) and earned four NHL All-Star appearances. He further recorded two NHL first-team selections and the King Clancy Memorial Trophy (2022).