Boston Bruins Schedule: Time For “Subban Bowl”
By Jay Peterson
Whether we want to admit it or not, I’m sure that every Boston Bruins fan can admit that the Montreal Canadiens have our number these last few seasons. Ever since the devastating Game 7 loss in the second round of the 2014 playoffs, the Bruins have achieved zero out of a possible eight points against their Eastern Conference rivals (0-4-0). In a season where the Bruins missed the playoffs by only a single point, this result, in particular, is absolutely unacceptable.
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What was it specifically that made last season’s series so lopsided? Well, we cannot argue the fact that the Montreal Canadiens were a good team for a good portion of the season and based on what has happened in the offseason thus far, there is no reason to think that they won’t be a good team next season as well. P.K. Subban is only getting better and we know that he gets into an extra gear whenever he and the Bruins step onto the ice. Perhaps it’s the players on Boston who are not getting as pumped as P.K. that makes beating the Canadiens so difficult. Perhaps the Bruins players need some sort of extra incentive to play for; some additional motivation, if you will. Perhaps, they need their very own Subban.
Sep 19, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Bruins goalie
Malcolm Subban(70) during the national anthem before a game against the Detroit Red Wings at TD Banknorth Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Enter Malcolm. Although it is certainly not set in stone that Malcolm Subban will be Boston’s backup this coming season, it would certainly garner a lot of attention if it was announced that Malcolm Subban would suit up against his older brother P.K. in a game between the two biggest rival teams in the NHL. From a marketing perspective, this should have been done already and should be done every time the two teams play. From a competitive standpoint, it’s a little more complicated.
Malcolm has played in only one NHL game and didn’t even last the entire sixty minutes. Going against Montreal, he would likely be opposite to the reigning Vezina winner, Carey Price. The odds of winning are not necessarily in Malcolm Subban’s favor. However, at the rate the Bruins are going right now, the odds of winning against Montreal aren’t favorable anyway.
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Tuukka Rask is a goalie that can get very rattled by a loss, especially when he does everything he can to keep the team in the game. If he didn’t have to play any games against Montreal (with the exception of the Winter Classic) for the whole season, I believe that that would help him direct his attention to the rest of the league and improve his overall mindset.
Malcolm, on the other hand, would most likely be overjoyed to go up against his brother, as he has done many times before. This would inspire him to put forth his most competitive effort. This roster move would not only motivate Subban, but it would also motivate the entire Bruins club to win “Subban Bowl” for their goaltender. Whether Malcolm spent the entire year up with Boston as their backup or not wouldn’t matter. When it came close to a date with the Canadiens, Providence would get the call and Malcolm would get sent up.
Now for those of you who think that putting Malcolm in net would just pump up P.K. Subban and the Canadiens even more, you may be right. However, with the way the Montreal Canadiens have been playing against the Bruins, something needs to be done. It’s the Bruins who need that extra incentive to win against the Canadiens, and I believe that Malcolm Subban is the answer.