What if Subban Didn’t Sign a Bridge Contract?

 

 

 

PK Subban is going to be made a rich man this summer but what if the Canadiens had given him a long term deal two years ago?

 

The reality

 

In January 2013 PK Subban signed a two-year contract with the Canadiens after a short hold-out that extended a few games into the NHL season. The contract carried a cap hit of $2.875 million. The Canadiens opted for a bridge contract instead of a longer, more expensive deal that could have saved the team long-term.

What if?

 

How would history be different if the Canadiens and Subban agreed to a longer contract after the conclusion of the lockout? Andrew Berkshire examined two alternative scenarios in-depth back in July of last year while under the assumption that the contract that Subban will sign this summer will cost the Canadiens $8 million against the cap: