The Montreal Canadiens and P.K. Subban are three million dollars apart as their scheduled arbitration hearing Friday is now just hours away.
Canadiens' GM Marc Bergevin is offering the Norris Trophy-winning defence star a $5.25 one-year deal, while Subban has countered with a demand for $8.5 million, according to Ken Campbell of The Hockey News.
With a one-year deal Subban would be eligible for arbitration once again next year.
The lengthy contract saga has been the buzz of online hockey discussion forums, in which many have urged the team to sign Subban to a long-term deal at the higher salary.
The arbitration process sees both sides present arguments justifying their demand, with the arbitrator choosing either one or the other proposed contract.
CTV Montreal's Brian Wilde is among those who suspect that the two sides will settle before the arbitration hearings begin and even speculated that the team could offer Subban more than he is asking, but for a longer term, as they recently did with Lars Eller,
P.K. Subban seeking $8.5 million in arbitration and the Canadiens are seeking $5.25 million on a one-year deal.
— Ken Campbell (@THNKenCampbell) July 30, 2014
Just use the Eller numbers as a guide everyone. As soon as you went UFA years, the cap hit went up beyond arbitration asking price.
— BrianWilde (@BWildeCTV) July 30, 2014
