Subban is Montreal's active leader in consecutive games played with 254. He has never missed a game because of injury or illness in his NHL career; the last time he missed a game was because of a contract impasse that kept him out of the first six games of the 2012-13 season. He was a healthy scratch the six other times he has missed a game since his first NHL game during the 2009-10 season.
"He's a guy first of all that keeps himself in great shape to be able to do that, play that many games in a row," Therrien said.
Subban has 33 points (three goals, 30 assists) and is averaging 26:03 of ice time in 48 games for the Canadiens.
"We've faced a lot of adversity with injuries this season," Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty said. "P.K.'s obviously a big part of the blue line. If he can't play, we've been down that road before. It's next man up. We have to do a good job of filling his shoes if he can't play."
Though Subban's status is unclear, the Blue Jackets know that coach John Tortorella will miss his second and third games Monday and Tuesday in Montreal because of two broken ribs sustained Friday in an outdoor practice.
Forward Rene Bourque hit a rut and clipped Tortorella during a drill. Tortorella missed a 3-2 shootout loss at the Boston Bruins on Saturday. Associate coach Craig Hartsburg is in charge in his absence.
Hartsburg spoke to and texted Tortorella several times Sunday in preparation for the home-and-home series against the Canadiens.
"He's still hurting," Hartsburg said. "Obviously, it's tough. He's sore all over. He really can't be mobile at this point."
After Tuesday, the Blue Jackets don't play again until Feb. 2 at the Edmonton Oilers.
"Hopefully after the All-Star break he can join us," Hartsburg said. "We'll have to wait and see how he does."
Pacioretty is unsure how the Blue Jackets are reacting without their coach.
"I've never seen that situation," he said. "It's unfortunate he got hurt. I'm not sure what to expect when it comes to that."
Hartsburg said he didn't receive messages from Tortorella during the Boston game and expects the same Monday.
"[Tortorella] is our leader," Hartsburg said. "He's the guy we all look up to as assistant coaches. As players, he's their leader. We're trying to do our jobs to help the team help him so when he comes back hopefully the team's playing better."
Therrien had empathy for Tortorella because he's also had broken ribs.
"If he's not there he must be in pain," he said. "I've been behind the bench. It's not easy."
Therrien said he twice broke ribs as a coach when players collided with him.. He can't remember the first player. The second?
"Ryan White. He's in Philly."
Bourque will be in the Blue Jackets' lineup a second straight game.
Here are the projected lineups:
CANADIENS
Max Pacioretty - Tomas Plekanec - Brendan Gallagher
Dale Weise - David Desharnais - Alex Galchenyuk
Daniel Carr - Lars Eller - Tomas Fleischmann
Devante Smith-Pelly - Torrey Mitchell - Brian Flynn
P.K. Subban - Andrei Markov
Alexei Emelin - Jeff Petry
Nathan Beaulieu - Mark Barberio
Mike Condon
Ben Scrivens
Injured: Carey Price (lower body), Tom Gilbert (lower body), Paul Byron (lower body)
Scratched: Greg Pateryn, Jacob de la Rose
BLUE JACKETS
Boone Jenner - Brandon Dubinsky - Cam Atkinson
Scott Hartnell - Alex Wennberg - Brandon Saad
Kerby Rychel - William Karlsson - Nick Foligno
Matt Calvert - Gregory Campbell - Rene Bourque
Ryan Murray - Seth Jones
Jack Johnson - Justin Falk
Fedor Tyutin - Dalton Prout
Joonas Korpisalo
Anton Forsberg
Injured: Sergei Bobrovsky (groin), Curtis McElhinney (ankle), David Clarkson (upper body), David Savard (oblique)
Scratched: Jared Boll, Cody Goloubef
Status report: McElhinney, out since Jan. 4, skated in gear for the first time on Monday.
Who's hot: Eller had an assist and scored the deciding goal in the shootout in Montreal's 3-2 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. … Rychel had his second goal in three games and an assist against the Bruins.
