Re P.K. Subban - Told ya so!

Poor Len here. On April Fool's Day I predicted that P.K.Subban, the Montréal Canadiens so-called defenceman, would not be seen in a game again this season. Some doubters accused me of making an April Fool joke. At least one suggested that the wish was father to the thought. [You're saying it wasn't? Ed.] Well, today Habs management announced officially that Subban will not return. Neither will Carey Price, the best goalie in the world. See "Price et Subban ne seront pas de retour cette saison", by Guillaume Lefrançois.

Told ya so! Lifetime pct 1.000!

The big question now, regarding Subban, is what the team has in mind for him for next year. I wouldn't be surprised if Marc Bergevin is on the phone, even as I write, talking trade with, ohhh, the Edmonton Oilers. (Just sayin'.) Perhaps M Bergevin is even offering to eat part of P.K.'s ridiculously expensive contract, if some other team will just get him out of the Canadiens room.

Following last night's embarrassing loss to the Florida Panthers, I made a little list of the players I'd keep, if I were M Bergevin. All others, including Subban, should be on the table, so to speak.

Goaltenders: Price, Condon, Lindgren. Condon isn't as bad as last night's game would suggest. He just needs more help from the other 18 guys.

Defence: Markov (if he doesn't wish to retire), Emelin, Petry, Barberio, Pateryn. Recent defensive lapses have been more the fault of the call-ups from the Icecaps, and they can't be blamed too much, in the circs.

Forwards: Pacioretty (will wear the "C" more easily without Subban pretending it shoulda been him), Gallagher, Galchenyuk, Eller, Flynn, Carr... errr... that's it, and that right there is the problem. I'll be sorry to see Plekanec go, but you can't expect to keep your job if you don't score at least once per month. At least three Icecaps players who were called up to give them a chance showed they belong with... the Icecaps!

I'm not going to put my awesome record on the line for any of this. I'm just saying what I'd do if I were Marc Bergevin (and if Geoff Molson would let me). Unless something startling happens between now and the end of September, I'll be back then to compare my list of keepers with what M Bergevin did over the summer.