P.K. Subban to Predators: Latest Details on Trade Involving Shea Weber

The Montreal Canadiens traded star defenseman P.K. Subban to the Nashville Predators on Wednesday in exchange for defenseman Shea Weber, according to Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos and ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun.   

Subban, 27, has established himself as one of the league's top defensemen in his seven-year career and is one of the NHL's most potent offensive producers from the blue line. It's surprising the Canadiens would part with such a talented player only to receive Weber in return, as Bleacher Report's Jonathan Willis noted:

Over the past three years, Weber has compiled 152 points in 235 games, compared to Subban's 164 points in 232 games. The latter is also three years younger than the former, who turns 31 in August.

The Toronto Sun's Mike Zeisberger questioned the logic of trading a star who also made an impact off the ice:

Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin described trading Subban as "one of the most difficult decisions I had to make as general manager," per David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period.

Predators general manager David Poile, meanwhile, was thrilled to acquire such a talent, saying in a statement: "P.K. Subban is an elite offensive defenseman with tremendous skill and contagious energy that makes the Nashville Predators a better team now and into the future. Superstar defensemen of his caliber are a rare commodity, and we are thrilled to add him to the organization."

Awful Announcing's Andrew Bucholtz didn't think it was a banner day for Canadian hockey teams:

Coming into the 2015-16 campaign, Subban had registered at least 50 points in two straight seasons and had scored 10 or more goals four times in his career. This past year, he finished with six goals, 45 assists and a plus-four rating in 26:22 minutes per game.

Subban has accumulated 40 or more assists in each of the past three seasons, making him one of only three defensemen across the league to do so over that span. He was also the 2012-13 James Norris Memorial Trophy winner as the league's top defenseman and has played in two All-Star Games.

With the Canadiens having struggled this past season and Subban looming as easily their most appealing trade chip, the team decided to pull the trigger on a deal. His relationship with head coach Michel Therrien may have been a problem after Therrien benched and publicly blamed Subban for falling and turning the puck over late in the game against the Colorado Avalanche on Feb. 18, leading to the game-winning goal for Colorado.

"We played hard, played a solid game; too bad an individual mistake cost us the game late in the game," Therrien said afterward, referencing Subban's fall to the ice, per ESPN.com. "As a coach I thought he could have had a better decision at the blue line...and he put himself in a tough position."

The Predators likely won't mind Subban's tendency to try to make plays and set up his teammates, even if it leads to the occasional mistake.

Subban is exciting to watch, can play huge minutes, is generally durable and maintained a positive plus-minus on a Montreal team that underachieved this past season. Nashville has dramatically improved by bringing Subban aboard.

The same can't necessarily be said of Montreal. At best, trading Subban for Weber is a lateral move.

If the ages of Weber and Subban were reversed, this trade would've made more sense for the Canadiens. But rather than acquiring a superstar in the prime of his career, Montreal sent one packing for a very good veteran who's likely entering the downward trajectory of his career arc.

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.