P. K. Subban

The third in the “Amazing Hockey Stories” series features P. K. Subban who joins such “notables” as O. J. Simpson, J. K. Rowling and P. T. Barnum in being better known by the initials of their given names than by their actual given names. A laudatory biography, P. K. Subban is essentially organized chronologically in terms of its main text that focuses on P. K.’s route to the National Hockey League. Author Nicholson also notes how P. K.’s minority status has impacted his career, and she acknowledges his many philanthropic works. What distinguishes P. K. Subban from other hockey biographies is the series’ practice of including four multi-page graphic novel-like sections that are interspersed among the text chapters. The reader-friendly main text is printed on a blue background, and the book includes numerous full-colour action photos of P. K. at various stages of his hockey career. Many of the text pages also contain a pair of “trivia” speech bubbles, with one containing a question and the other the answer, For example:

What are P. K.’s nicknames?

Subbanator, Subby and Subbz

One of the dangers of writing biographies about still active sports figures is that their professional lives can change in an instant, Though the text of P. K. Subban basically concludes following the Predators’ playoff loss to the Winnipeg Jets during the 2017-18 season, P. K. did play for the “Preds” for another year. However, on June 22, 2019, the second day of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, Subban was traded to the New Jersey Devils. Nonetheless, most fans of the flamboyant defenseman with the ready smile will readily overlook the fact that they don’t see him wearing a Devils’ jersey.