 | The arbitration hearing between defenseman P.K. Subban and the Montreal Canadiens was held Friday in Toronto.
Subban, a 25-year-old restricted free agent, was seeking a long-term contract from Montreal leading up to the hearing. He now likely will receive the salary determined by the arbitrator, though he and the Canadiens can continue to negotiate until the decision comes down. | | Montreal - August 2, 2014 - The arbitration hearing between defenseman P.K. Subban and the Montreal Canadiens was held Friday in Toronto.
"This whole process has been kind of an educational process for me ...," Subban said in a video posted by Sportsnet. "Obviously there's dialogue and discussion, and decisions were made today in relations to both of our positions. Ultimately we have to live with those decisions and move on from here. So that's what I'm ready to do, just move on and get ready for the season."
Subban, a 25-year-old restricted free agent, was seeking a long-term contract from Montreal leading up to the hearing. He now likely will receive the salary determined by the arbitrator, though he and the Canadiens can continue to negotiate until the decision comes down. The arbitrator has 48 hours, until Sunday afternoon, to decide.
"We all respect the process, and like I said, we all make decisions in terms of what's best in terms of our interests," Subban said. "We have to live with those decisions. At the end of the day, I'm just ready to move on, and continue to support my team and my teammates and get ready for the season."
Subban's agent, Don Meehan, told Sportsnet's Chris Johnston there are no plans to continue negotiating a long-term contract before the arbitration award.
Subban said talk of signing a long-term contract was "a discussion for a later date, not a discussion for today, obviously."
Subban tied for fifth among NHL defensemen last season with 53 points (10 goals) in 82 games and led the Canadiens with 14 points in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, averaging 27:26 of ice time per game. He earned $3.75 million last season, with a $2.875 million NHL salary-cap charge, in the final season of a two-year contract.
"The whole process is different. I've never been through this process before," Subban said. "So to have to go through it now, obviously ... I've been through many different processes before in my career but I've ultimately come out of it stronger and ready to continue to get better, and that's my motivation as a player is to get better."
Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin declined to speak with reporters.
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