Subban traded to Sabres by Blackhawks

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Malcolm Subban was traded to the Buffalo Sabres by the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday for future considerations.

The 27-year-old goalie has not played in the NHL this season. He and goalie Collin Delia were assigned to Rockford of the American Hockey League prior to the season with Marc-Andre Fleury and Kevin Lankinen on the Blackhawks roster.

“When it first happened, for me it was obviously disappointing,” Subban told WQRF-TV in Rockford, Illinois, on Nov. 10. “This summer, that was probably the most dedicated summer I had ever, just coming in hoping to get an opportunity and obviously getting sent down it was tough. At the same time, you realize you’re getting paid to do a job.”

 

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Subban is 2-2-1 with a 3.38 goals-against average and .893 save percentage for Rockford. He made 21 saves in a 3-1 win against Milwaukee on Wednesday.

“Me and [Rockford goaltending coach Peter Aubry] have been working on a lot of stuff here,” Subban said. “I think it’s been helping me. My game has been improving. That’s obviously the main focus.”

The Sabres (8-11-3) visit the Florida Panthers on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; BSFL, MSG-B, ESPN+, NHL LIVE). Dustin Tokarski and Aaron Dell have handled the goaltending for Buffalo with Craig Anderson sidelined since Nov. 2 because of an upper-body injury. Tokarski was placed in NHL COVID-19 protocol and Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen was recalled from Rochester of the American Hockey League on Thursday.

The Blackhawks acquired Subban, the younger brother of New Jersey Devils defenseman P.K. Subban, in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights on Feb. 24, 2020, part of a three-team trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs that sent goalie Robin Lehner to Vegas. Subban was 6-8-1 with a 3.20 GAA, .900 save percentage and two shutouts in 16 games (14 starts) last season, and is 36-31-8 with a 3.02 GAA, .899 save percentage and three shutouts in 82 games (74 starts) for the Boston Bruins, Golden Knights and Blackhawks.

Chicago (7-12-2) visits the Washington Capitals on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; SN, NBCSWA, NBCSCH, ESPN+, NHL LIVE).