from Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette,

His stock is falling with each Canadiens win.

Make no mistake about it — the Canadiens could be a better team with Subban filling one of the top four defence spots. But there’s no guarantee and Subban’s position becomes more difficult with each day he remains unsigned.

In an interview with colleague Dave Stubbs, Subban said he wants to be compensated for what he brings to the team on and off the ice. It’s seem a fair request, but the reality — as we pointed out here a week ago — is that life isn’t fair.

Young players like Subban have little in the way of bargaining power. The National Hockey League collective bargaining agreement limits what players can earn in their first three seasons. After that, many teams offer “bridge” contracts that give a player a chance to prove he deserves a rich, long-term deal in his third contract.

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