Bulls grad P.K Subban wins Norris Trophy

By Paul Krotz/OHL

Just four years after a successful Ontario Hockey League career, former Belleville Bull P.K Subban was recognized as the National Hockey League’s Top Defenceman winning the James Norris Memorial Trophy for the 2012-13 season.

Subban was recognized following his third NHL campaign where he scored 11 goals and 27 assists to match a career-high 38 points to lead all blueliners in scoring in 42 games for the Montreal Canadiens this season.

“My teammates this year have been great and this really is a team award, I can’t thank them anymore than I already have,” Subban said moments after the award was officially announced prior to Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals in Chicago. 

Subban continued to thank staff and coaches with the AHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs where he played in 2009-10 before mentioning his time in Belleville and in minor hockey.

“Back to junior with George Burnett an amazing coach, the ownership there with Gord Simmonds it’s unbelievable.”

Originally selected in the sixth round, 105^th overall in the 2005 OHL Priority Selection, Subban played four seasons with the Bulls including 234 career regular season games collecting 191 points.  He was named a First Team All-Star in 2009 wrapping up a major junior career that also included two World Junior Championship Gold Medals with Canada in 2008 and 2009, and a MasterCard Memorial Cup appearance with the Bulls in 2008.

A second round pick of Montreal in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, Subban became the sixth Canadiens defenceman to win the award.  He is also the first OHL graduate to win the Norris Trophy since 2000 when former Peterborough Pete Chris Pronger received the honour with the St. Louis Blues.

“I’ve known what the Norris Trophy has been about for a long time,” Subban told the Montreal Gazette.  “You can only dream of winning that award. I know a lot of the defencemen who have won it, it’s a pretty significant list.  And I bet there’s an even more significant list of great defencemen who haven’t won it.”

Subban celebrated the award in Chicago with parents Karl and Maria and brothers Malcolm and Jordan who are current members of the Bulls organization. 

“I’m so happy to be on the list now of someone who has won the award. I just hope it turns into Stanley Cups.”

While Subban was the only OHL graduate to win an individual award, several alumni were finalists.  London Knights’ grad John Tavares was nominated for the Hart Memorial Trophy after a tremendous season with the New York Islanders, while Chicago Blackhawks rookie and former Saginaw Spirit star Brandon Saad was in contention for the Calder Memorial Trophy.  Former Toronto Marlboro Bruce Boudreau and former Windsor Spitfire Joel Quenneville were Jack Adams Coach of the Year Finalists, and former Knight Patrick Kane was nominated for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy.  Additionally, former Guelph Storm Dustin Brown was nominated for the Messier Leadership Award, and Sudbury Wolves grad Adam McQuaid was nominated for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. 

Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds grad Ray Emery shared the William M. Jennings Trophy with Blackhawks teammate Corey Crawford for allowing the fewest goals against.