P.K. Subban's injury is a crushing blow to already struggling Predators
The loss of P.K. Subban is a crushing blow to an already struggling Predators team in the thick of the postseason race.
The Nashville Predators are currently 10th in the Western Conference, fighting with everything they have for a playoff spot. As they struggle to stay in contention and trail the eighth seed by two points, Nashville has suffered another huge loss. P.K. Subban, one of the team’s top defenseman, will be sidelined for 2-3 weeks following an upper-body injury.
Not only will he miss a showdown with his old Montreal hockey club, but the Predators placed him on the injured reserve. Nashville will reevaluate his injury at a later time.
Subban has been an asset for the Predators this season, posting seven goals and 17 points in 29 games. Though he is a minus-11, he’s been a force on the blueline. He posts 1.41 points per 60 and 3.6 blocks per 60 and boasts a 2.0 relative Fenwick.
The 27-year-old defenseman is excellent when it comes to puck possession, as well as logging big minutes and working with Roman Josi on the top pairing. Not to mention, he’s a right-hand shot and a puck-moving defenseman who can serve as a catalyst on the power-play.
The Impact and Aftermath
Surely, Subban will be missed by Nashville as they start the new year. He led Nashville’s RHD with over 25-minutes of ice time each night. He also places second in scoring among all Nashville defensemen, only two points behind Josi.
Without him, there is no puck-mover or offensive defenseman on the right side. Starting there, the Predators already lose a lot of their defensive depth. Josi will have to step up, as will Ryan Ellis, who replaces Subban on that top right side.
In addition, Nashville will have to do without Subban on special teams. Their power-play is the 10th best in the league with over 20 percent success, but without Subban, their system will weaken. He will also be missing on the penalty kill, which leaves a lot of questions when it comes to their already-mediocre PK.
In the end, Nashville will have to pick up the pieces and will have to fight for playoff contention without one of their top defensemen.
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