Montreal·Video

P.K. Subban: Hockey doesn't define me

Many Canadians dream of NHL stardom. Montreal Canadiens defenseman P. K. Subban has already got that. And a whopping $10 million donation to the city's Children's Hospital suggests he's looking to build a legacy that extends beyond the ice rink.

P.K. Subban on Giving Back

9 years ago
Duration 8:05
P.K. Subban talks about wealth, his $10 million pledge to the Montreal Children's Hospital and criticism that he's arrogant.

There aren't many 26-year-olds who are in a position to contemplate their legacy. 

P.K. Subban, who plays for the Montreal Canadiens, isn't the average millennial.

If you really need proof, look no further than the atrium of the Montreal Children's Hospital, which now bears his name thanks to Subban's recent pledge to donate a whopping $10 million over seven years through his charitable foundation.

"To think that someday I'll have kids and we'll visit the hospital and they're going to see their dad's name up on the wall, it's a pretty special thing," he said. 

But of course, Subban is still an NHL hockey player. So with a grin, he tacks on one extra wish. 

"I hope that I can also bring them to the Bell Centre to look up ... at a Stanley Cup banner as well," he said.

He may be best known as a star defenseman for the Montreal Canadiens, but Subban's resume has certainly expanded beyond hockey. There's his philanthropic work. He even seems to be dipping a toe into comedy, appearing on This Hour has 22 Minutes, and a commercial in which he impersonates Don Cherry, outrageous suit and all.

NHL star P.K. Subban says he doesn't define himself as a hockey player, just a guy who plays hockey. "There will be lot of other things I want to do with my life and hockey is just a part of it." (Rick Madonik/Getty Images)
Is being a great hockey player not enough, he's asked?

"Being a great hockey player is just that," he said. "That doesn't speak to me as a person. So at the end of the day I'll be retired and I'll still have a long life ahead of me after hockey is over. There will be lot of other things I want to do with my life. And hockey is just a part of it."

In an interview with Wendy Mesley on CBC's The National, Subban spoke about his wealth, charitable acts, and how a trip to the earthquake-stricken Haiti affected him. And he also touched on the not-so charitable criticisms that he's arrogant. 

"I just try to let my play do the talking for me. It's very easy to say things about people, but the one thing in professional sports is that the stats don't lie," he said. 

You can watch the full interview by watching Friday night's The National or clicking on the video above.