Montreal Canadiens' P.K. Subban Too Cocky For Own Good? Mike Richards Thinks So

The answer is quite simply, no.

Well, that's the article folks. Hope you enjoyed it.

Just kidding. Let's elaborate a little on my assessment of the matter that was brought up by No. 1 Canadiens fan Don Cherry and Philadelphia Flyers captain Mike Richards.

Don't Be Hating

P.K. Subban rolled into Montreal for two games against the Broad Street Bullies last season. Perhaps the hate that Mr. Richards had for the Habs rookie defenseman started flowing through his body at that point and time.

Not to mention the fact that they also met in the Eastern Conference finals, and there's a high probability it will happen again this year. Especially considering the Canadiens and Flyers have been second and third in the standings for a good month now. 

Accusations of Subban being a cocky player occurred after Montreal's 3-0 victory over the Flyers last night. Does this have anything to do with actual facts or simple frustration after being shut out by a team they quasi-flawlessly eliminated from the playoffs a year ago?

Richards spoke to the Montreal media about Subban needing to earn a little more respect in the league before even thinking of being better than anyone else. If you ask me, it looks as though the Flyers captain has nothing to complain about.

Playing for the Flyers usually means you're part of a cocky, ruthless and illegally legal bunch. That's the first thing that comes to mind about this team. It's been the squad's identity since the early 70's overhaul that saw Bobby Clarke, Dave Schultz and Bob Kelly strike fear into opponents with their gladiator brand of ice hockey.

One also needs to remember that those legendary Flyers squads also had skill in bunches, which is also what P.K. Subban has. He has a blistering slap shot, a Subbeedoo spin-o-rama and a moniker that was given to him by teammate Michael Cammalleri, Primetime.

Similar to Deion Sanders, the man that had the nickname before him, Subban electrifies the Bell Center audience with blazing speed, athleticism and a new school brand of skillful hockey. The Los Angeles Kings have their own daring defenseman in Drew Doughty, whose play could very well be comparable to Subban as well.

Personally, I have no problem with what Subban exemplifies with the way he plays during the game, after the whistle and what we hear from him in front of the cameras. Regardless of the comments made, my opinion of Mike Richards remains the same.

A workhorse Olympic gold-medalist that has slowly become the face of the Flyers franchise. It just so happens that Richards was a little frustrated after not being able to perform in front of the same crowd he silenced during last year's playoffs.

Besides, when you know you're going to face Subban and the Canadiens in a little less than a week, why not keep the frustration to yourself and let it all go on the ice? You're paid to score goals, remember?

Danger Close? 

One thing is for sure. If Subban keeps flapping his gums, someone will get frustrated and try to hurt him. But that's just the nature of competition. 

You hate seeing someone more skillful, faster and younger than you. Judging by Subban's profile, often times he will probably outclass his foes in each and every single one of those categories. It's something he will be faced with every night during his rookie year.

The recent surge of complaints about him by league regulars does not make things any better. There's always a psycho out there looking to chop your head off and shake your hand when the deed is done. What else can you expect from such a primitive sport?

What I did not appreciate was P.K. having to drop the gloves in last night's winning effort. His mind should be solely focused on learning the ropes, playing great defensively within the boundaries of the coaching staff's system and providing the offensive punch he's known for. 

Any other punch should be thrown by a dispensable player that the Canadiens unfortunately do not have. Travis Moen is gritty, but we're looking for someone that's going to be capable of intimidating the likes of Derek Boogaard. 

Perhaps, there is no room on the squad for someone of that stature and that's probably not the direction the team wants to be taking. Opting for a style a play that's more or less axed on skill instead of intimidation. 

As long as the squad is winning, who are we to complain about a few low blows?