Canadiens Trade P.K. Subban to Predators in Blockbuster Deal for Shea Weber

The P.K. Subban era in Montreal is officially over.

Moments after the Oilers and Devils swung a blockbuster deal involving Taylor Hall, news trickled out that an even bigger trade had been completed.

The Canadiens shipped Subban, a constant subject of trade rumours, to the Nashville Predators for fellow All-Star Shea Weber. Both players are big, right-handed defencemen signed to long-term deals, and among the most high-profile players in the game at their position. In every sense of the word, this was a massive blockbuster.

Subban is signed through the 2021-22 season at an average annual value of $9 million, while Weber will be paid through the 2025-26 season with an average cap hit of $7.8 million.

Subban, 27, is coming off a 51-point season and his second All-Star appearance for the struggling Canadiens, who were unable to overcome an injury to star goalie Carey Price this past season. The Habs recorded 82 points and snapped a string of three consecutive playoff appearances.

Much of the hockey world is taking Montreal to task for the trade—the team is taking back a defenceman who is nearly four years older than Subban and under contract for a much longer period of time. Subban, still in his prime, will be an unrestricted free agent at 33 years old, which likely guarantees Nashville the best remaining years of his playing career.

David Poile on Subban: His 'tremendous skill and contagious energy makes the Predators a better team now and into the future.'

— James Mirtle (@mirtle)June 29, 2016

The Canadiens, meanwhile, will be paying Weber until he's 40. The 6'4", 230-pounder is coming off the third 20-plus goal season of his career. He had 51 points for the Predators, who were ousted by the Sharks in the second round of the NHL playoffs.

We haven't seen days like this in the NHL, with star players getting traded for each other, for quite some time. Stay fun and crazy, NHL.