Pacioretty, Subban put rumours of rift to rest

Just to demonstrate there is no rift in the Montreal Canadiens dressing room, P.K. Subban broke into Max Pacioretty's media scrum and gave the team captain a big hug.

It was among the lighter moments on Monday as the Canadiens met with the media before dispersing for the off-season after a disappointing 38-38-6 campaign.

Eyebrows were raised last week when the players elected Pacioretty as the team nominee for the King Clancy award for leadership and community involvement.

Many thought Subban was a shoo-in after his $10 million donation to the Montreal Children's Hospital last summer, and the fact that they picked someone else suggested Subban wasn't so popular with Pacioretty or his teammates.

That made Pacioretty laugh.

"It's so funny I'm being asked this," he said. "If you guys could bring the cameras into the wives' room and see P.K. playing mini-sticks with my son after the game I don't think I'd be asked this question.

"What do you want me to say? P.K. Subban came to my wedding. I think you guys are looking way too far into this."

Subban said that for all the talk it generated, it was a non-story.

"The guy deserves the award and he got it," said Subban. "I voted for him, so I don't know what the big deal is.

"It's like really? That's a story? I can say till I'm blue in the face: we like each other, we play together, we respect each other. But what? Do I have to go over there and make out with him? Katia (Pacioretty's wife) might have a problem with that.

"A hug, that's as far as I'll take it."