Plenty of people made excuses about Subban in Montreal. But guess what? He was named a Norris Trophy finalist Wednesday for the third time in his career (2013, 2015) doing it with his second team.
Subban, who was traded to the Nashville Predators on June 29, 2016, for defenseman Shea Weber, has been a great fit. The Predators have the best defensive corps in the NHL and the most productive offensively as well. Coach Peter Laviolette told me Subban "is a stud of a defenseman" and he isn't wrong.
Subban (16 goals, 43 assists during the regular season) has two assists in four games against the Colorado Avalanche but has played 25:28 and done a great job of limiting the Avalanche's offensive chances during the series.
HONORABLE MENTION
Goaltender Jonathan Quick was outstanding for the Kings against Vegas, but you can't win when your team doesn't score. Quick allowed seven goals on 124 shots (.947 save percentage), keeping Los Angeles in every game. He's a proven playoff performer, having helped the Kings win the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014 and winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2012. This time, he just didn't get any help from his teammates.