While his agent, Don Meehan, negotiates with Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin about a new contract for P.K. Subban, the restricted free-agent defenceman is already back in the gym.
Subban told The Gazette’s Dave Stubbs that he is already training for next season after taking a 10-day break.
“I don’t believe in taking too much time off,” Subban told Stubbs. “As you’re training, you want to take time off as you feel you need it. As of now, I’m just getting my body warmed up for the hard training that’s coming in July and August.”
Subban added with a laugh: “If I’m sitting on my couch for two or three weeks, I don’t know a player who won’t put on weight doing that. I just like to be active. If I go two days without working out, I feel uncomfortable. The old saying is: ‘If you’re not working, are other guys?’ So you’ve got to ask yourself that question.
“I’m always working on something. I had a four-day road trip (last week to Vancouver and Las Vegas) and I probably should have slept in today, taken a day to recuperate,” Subban told Stubbs when they spoke Thursday morning.
“But I got into the gym at 8 a.m. and I feel 10 times better than when I woke up this morning. That’s something I tell young guys all the time: stay in the gym. They’ve got to figure out what that means, but stay in the gym.”
Meanwhile, there are reports the Canadiens are trying to trade defenceman Josh Gorges to the Toronto Maple Leafs, but his modified no-trade clause could be holding things up.
TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie tweeted Monday that the Leafs are still hoping Gorges will waive his no-trade clause. If that happens, McKenzie stated “it’s believed Montreal would get a roster player from Toronto” in exchange.
When reached by The Gazette’s Stubbs, Gorges said: “I want people to know that I never wanted to leave Montreal. In no way has this been my decision.”
(Gazette file photo/John Mahoney)
Gym a bit part of summer for Subban, by The Gazette’s Dave Stubbs
Habs taking all the right steps, by Jack Todd for The Gazette
Habs GM Bergevin continues to be busy, by The Gazette’s Pat Hickey
Sons try to follow dads at NHL draft, by Pat Hickey
Salary cap could spark necessary trades, montrealgazette.com
Leafs in pursuit of Gorges, TSN.ca
Could Habs trade Gorges to Leafs? sportsnet.ca
Vanek, Stastny, Iginla highlight UFA forwards, NHL.com
Habs take Russian Scherbak with first-round pick, by Pat Hickey
Dream come true for Scherbak (video), canadiens.com
Habs take defenceman Lernout with second pick at draft, by Pat Hickey
Not a good year for Quebec at NHL draft, by Pat Hickey
Habs prospect McCarron remains a work in progress, by The Gazette’s Brenda Branswell
Coyotes buy out Ribeiro for ‘behaviour issues,’ Arizona Rebublic