Report: Canadiens exploring trade of P.K. Subban

According to TVA, the struggling Canadiens are exploring options for trading defenseman P.K. Subban.

Trade talk is the inevitable byproduct when a season goes off the rails the way this one has in Montreal. But have things gotten to the point that the Canadiens would actually consider trading P.K. Subban?

That's the chatter according to TVA reporter Louis Jean.

Not suggesting #Canadiens will trade Subban. Just saying one team confirmed #Habs are "gauging the market".

— Louis Jean (@LouisJeanMedia) February 19, 2016

Making P.K. Subban the fall guy dangerous move by Therrien

It seems inevitable that some sort of shakeup is coming for the Habs, a team that has dropped three straight games and 23 of its last 31. Most expect that coach Michel Therrien will ultimately pay the price for Montreal’s slide. But Subban apparently came into play on Wednesday night after he was blamed by Therrien for causing the team's latest loss. 

The two have had a complicated relationship since Therrien returned to Montreal for his second stint in 2012, with the coach once saying that he wanted to make P.K. a better person as well as a better player. It’s possible the two finally have reached a breaking point.

Still, it almost defies belief that GM Marc Bergevin would side with the coach over Subban. The 26-year-old blueliner is the team's leading scorer, most consistent performer and arguably the most iconic player the franchise has dressed since the departure of Patrick Roy. He’s a favorite of team owner Geoff Molson, who reportedly played a large role in the negotiations that led to Subban’s current eight-year, $72 million contract. And he's a lion in the community, revered for his charitable works and accessibility.

The SI Extra Newsletter Get the best of Sports Illustrated delivered right to your inbox

Subscribe

We can never say never when it comes to trade speculation. Wayne Gretzky was traded once. So was another high risk/high reward defenseman named Paul Coffey, and he was dealt at the exact same age Subban is now.

But is this really an option the team is exploring or just an idle bit of gossip?

Either way, the lead-up to the Feb. 29 trade deadline just got a whole lot more interesting.