Death, taxes and P.K. Subban getting away with slew-footing opponents in 2021.
The New Jersey Devils defenseman seemingly has slew-footed several opposing players this season either without suspension or a minimal fine. Subban appeared to be up to his old tricks Friday night against the Winnipeg Jets when he got tangled up with Nikolaj Ehlers before they went down to the ice.
Ehlers, understandably, was unhappy after the incident. Subban looked to apologize to Ehlers after the fact, though that doesn’t negate the fact that he, once again, could have injured a player because of his tomfoolery.
“I’m not going to comment on it,” he told reporters after the game, per Jets writer Mike McIntyre. “You look at it.”
You can watch the play here.
It certainly looks as if Subban clearly puts his leg behind Ehlers.
If it indeed was accidental, Subban really has lost all benefit of the doubt considering this now is the fifth (!) time this season something like has occurred. The NHL Department of Player Safety fined him twice, but let the other two go without penalty.
This also brings into question the consistency of the DPoS. Boston Bruins forward was served a three-game suspension for what they believed was a slew-foot on Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Marchand technically wasn’t a repeat offender anymore due to the fact it’s been nearly four years since his last suspension, but his reputation played a factor in how many games he was given.
Tom Wilson, noted goon of the Washington Capitals, was fined last season for roughing then-New York Rangers’ Pavel Buchnevich. Wilson has a lengthy history of fines and suspensions and also was not considered a repeat offender at the time of the Buchnevich roughing fine.
If you want to use someone’s history as a reason for a suspension, fine, but don’t pick and choose whose history matters and whose doesn’t.
Meanwhile, Subban ended Sammy Blais’ season after clipping him earlier this season and he continues to not face legitimate discipline.
But until the DPoS does something substantial, like suspend Subban, he’s only going to continue to get away with it as he very clearly has made it part of his game.
