After spending the past 12 seasons playing professional hockey in North America, splitting time between the AHL and NHL, former Belleville Bulls netminder Malcolm Subban is heading overseas to continue his playing career.
Subban, 31, has signed a contract to play the 2025-26 season in the Czech Extraliga for HC Dynamo Pardubice.
Before graduating to the professional ranks in North America, Subban was a rock in between the pipes for the Belleville organization. The Toronto, Ontario, native wasn’t a high draft pick by the organization, having been selected 218th overall in the 11th round of the 2009 OHL Priority Selection.
Alas, after winning an OHL Cup with the Toronto Marlboros organization and a U18 GTHL Championship with the Toronto Jr. Canadiens, Subban began his OHL career in the 2010-11 season, splitting the playing time with Tyson Teichmann.
Belleville, to put it politely, weren’t any good that season. They finished 21-43-4, the third-worst record in the league. Despite the rough season, the play in net by their young goaltender, Subban, was a bright spot for the organization. Subban recorded the eighth-best goals-against-average (3.16) and the tenth-best save percentage (.900).
The organization improved the following year, having their goals against total drop from 272 to 221, and finishing 12th in the league standings. The team’s success can be directly linked to Subban. Once again, the robust netminder was showcasing his talent, this time finishing with the fourth-best goals-against-average (2.50) and the fifth-best save percentage (.923).
The Boston Bruins organization was one of those NHL teams that recognized his talent and selected him in the first round (24th overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft.
Moving into Subban’s third season in the OHL, the 2012-13 campaign was his best, and his last in the league.
Subban and Belleville finished second in the league, posting a 44-16-8 record, and the second-least goals against (167). Subban posted the league’s best goals-against-average (2.17) and save percentage (.934). Unfortunately, he didn’t take home the Goaltender of the Year award, as that award went to Owen Sound’s Jordan Binnington.
Subban carried on his stellar play into the playoffs, helping the Bulls reach the Eastern Conference Finals, but falling short in seven games to the hands of the Barrie Colts. However, once again, his numbers were amongst the best in the league during the 2013 playoffs, registering the lowest goals-against-average (2.00), and the second-highest save percentage (.933).
Although Subban’s professional career in North America has taken a windy path, his play and clutch performances in the OHL have him remembered as one of the league’s best goaltenders from 2010-2013.
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