Former NHL star P.K. Subban found himself at the center of an international controversy hours before broadcasting hockey’s 4 Nations Face-Off Championship between Team USA and Canada. The ESPN analyst triggered intense backlash after sharing a social media post from former U.S. President Donald Trump that appeared to mock Canadian sovereignty.
The since-deleted tweet from Trump included a photo of himself waving an American flag with the caption: “The Trizzy Train could be coming through soon… Governor Trudeau better bring his skates to Boston! #51stState.” Subban amplified the message to his 2.3 million followers with the comment “Stay tuned!” – a move critics called inflammatory given current U.S.-Canada trade tensions.
Former NHL player Akim Aliu led the charge against Subban, unleashing a blistering response: “I’ve known you since we were kids. You were always transactional – never genuine. This is why nobody liked you in locker rooms.” The Hockey Diversity Alliance co-founder doubled down in subsequent posts, referencing Subban’s $10M Montreal Children’s Hospital donation: “Even your philanthropy was publicity stunts.”
Broadcast Controversy
The timing couldn’t be worse for ESPN, which had positioned Subban as lead analyst for Thursday night’s championship broadcast from TD Garden. Network executives reportedly scrambled to address the situation after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office released a statement calling Trump’s post “unproductive diplomacy.”
Hockey analysts are divided on the incident:
| Supporter Take | Critic Take |
|---|---|
| “Just PK being PK – he’s always pushed boundaries” (Mike Johnson, NHL Network) | “Complete betrayal of Canadian values” (Cheryl Pounder, CBC) |
Subban has yet to publicly address the backlash despite multiple requests from ESPN colleagues during pre-game coverage setup. The 2013 Norris Trophy winner deleted his retweet within two hours but continues trending across North American social platforms.
Bigger Than Hockey
This incident amplifies growing concerns about athlete-politician relationships:
- 72% increase in political posts by NHL alumni since 2020 (Pew Research)
- $2.3B – Current valuation of athlete political endorsement market (Forbes)
- 58% of Canadians believe Subban crossed ethical lines (Angus Reid poll)
As Team USA prepares to face Canada without presidential spectators – both Trump and Trudeau confirmed they won’t attend – all eyes remain on Subban’s broadcast booth position. Will ESPN pull its star analyst mid-game? Can hockey heal this diplomatic rift? One thing’s certain: tonight’s face-off just became must-watch television.
