Meet a Montrealer: P.K. Subban

At only 26 years of age, Montréal Canadiens defenceman P.K. Subban has already taken his place amongst the most beloved hockey players ever to wear the Habs jersey. Recently, he endeared himself even more deeply to his fellow Montrealers with a $10 million pledge to the Montréal Children’s Hospital. We caught up with the colourful and charismatic Subban at the launch of his new website, at newly opened upscale nightclub École Privée, the day after the Habs set a franchise record by going unbeaten in the opening five games of the season, the first time in club history.

Not everyone is as comfortable with celebrity as you are. Why is it important to break down the barrier that celebrity creates and, as you say you want to do with your website, connect with fans?

“Because I know that, as a kid growing up, if I had had the opportunity to connect with someone who I looked up to in professional sports, I hope that they would have given me the time or given me some way of connecting with them. Everything I do, I always put myself in the fan’s shoes and what they would expect and what they would want.”

Apart from the donation, the historic game last night and the website launch (October 16), what’s the coolest thing you’ve done or experienced this past year that maybe people don’t know about?

“My sister’s kids. Seeing them blossom, and seeing them actually get on the ice and start skating is pretty cool. [Laughs] It just reminds me that every day I’m getting older, so seeing my sister’s kids skating and playing hockey is pretty cool.”

What’s your favourite Montréal memory?

“Grand Prix weekend. I’ve shared many great memories on that weekend, and I haven’t missed a year there. So every year it always seems that I leave with even greater memories of the city, and it’s an exciting time to be here.”

You talk about your “passion for fashion.” Montréal has almost overwhelming fashion options – how and where do you direct people to find something that suits them?

“That’s what my website is all about. It’s about channeling everything that I’m doing and giving my fans options. If they want to dress like P.K., and I’m not saying that’s what they should want, but if you want it’s all there for you… So now fans have the opportunity to know exactly where to go to get a suit, where I would go to get a suit, and what my style of suit is. My partners RWCO. and Sartorialto provide me with the best suits I think, that I feel comfortable in, but every person has to figure out what style is their own.”

Do you have a favourite place where you like to go for drinks and socialize with friends?

“I have a favourite restaurant that I like to go to: Antonio Park’s, and he’s actually here [at the website launch] today. I eat at Restaurant Park every day. I don’t think that there’s been a day in the past two years that I haven’t eaten there, so I’m there a lot.”

Who on the Habs has the best taste in restaurants?

“Probably me [laughs]. Because, trust me, I’ve been trying to get guys to go [to Park], and the guys that do get there, they never leave.

What’s the one thing anyone visiting Montréal should absolutely do?