NHL Veteran P.K. Subban on Athlete Style On and Off the Ice

P.K. Subban has always had a creative bent.

A former defenseman in the National Hockey League, who played 13 years for the Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators and New Jersey Devils, Subban was known for his hard-hitting style of play, outgoing personality — and fashion sense.

After Subban retired in 2022, he transitioned to ESPN, where he serves as an in-studio broadcast analyst, bringing swagger, energy and style to the booth. He also has a segment called “P.K. GQ” where he interviews NHL players and critiques their outfits as they arrive at the arenas on game nights, and the cable network created a special feature, “Dress for the Occasion,” for last year’s Western Conference Final with Subban — often wearing his signature oversize hats — touting the importance of fashion to athletic performance. “Anybody can show up,” he says in the video. “But if you want to make your mark, you better dress for the occasion.”

In a break from covering this year’s playoffs, which will be decided in June, Subban talked about the importance of fashion in sports, his own style and the NHL players he believes are among today’s style-setters.

WWD: There were rules when you were playing about what you could wear. What were they?

P.K. Subban: You had to wear a suit and tie. You had to look like a professional. There was no casual. Even on the road, the moment you were on the team’s hours, you were expected to be dressed business casual, which means that you’re in dress pants, a dress shirt, a suit and tie. For me, who’s a creative person, it didn’t really work well because I’ve got to express myself. I’m into fashion and art. I started drawing and sketching, and my sister painted, so I was always around creative people. When I was playing hockey, the ice was my canvas, where I got to express myself. But it wasn’t enough. People just saw me as a player. So fashion became the only way that I could really express myself within this box that I was being put in and expected to excel. So within those guidelines, I was fine wearing a suit, but I wore a suit that was probably different than everybody else’s. I started wearing sharkskin, first navy blue and then plum with a leopard tan print on the inside.

WWD: What about your hats?

P.K.S.: The suits were one thing. Guys definitely got comfortable with wearing different suits. But when I walked in with the big hat, that wasn’t a thing. The guys were like: “What the hell?” The reality is that there are probably many guys who play sports that want to dress a certain way, but just don’t have the b–ls to do it and take the heat. I didn’t care. I said: “Guys, you don’t understand. I need this. I need to be able to express myself creatively.” Even though I played in a team concept, I needed to be a maverick — that’s who I am. For me, it wasn’t just about wearing a suit and tie. It was about showing taste. It was about showing the appreciation of culture. I think I’m a cultured guy — my dad’s Jamaican, but I love Asian culture. There are so many different things that I love that I have to express. When I came into the league, how many guys had those types of influences? And if they did, were they willing to use that platform to express themselves?

WWD: Now that the NHL has changed the rules and the players can wear anything they want, have you seen a change?

P.K.S.: The first thing I noticed was hats. Every game there’s a guy walking in with a hat on. Then, I think of a guy like Sidney Crosby, who you’re not going to see walk in in a sharkskin plum colored suit. He’s going to look like Batman with his black tie, clean white shirt, pristine black suit and overcoat. That’s what he wants people to see — he represents consistency, leadership. Is he a fashionable guy? No, but he’s an intentional guy. Being intentional about what you wear and what you represent is something I always promote, and I think that you can do that by what you put on.

WWD: Who do you think are the most stylish NHL players?

P.K.S.: David Pastrnak has pushed the boundaries. Sometimes he might come in with something that doesn’t fully work, but his last game in the playoffs, he came in wearing all black with a little overcoat and glasses and I could tell the taste, the time and the attention to detail. He loves fashion and he’s not just going to the store and buying the most expensive designer wear and putting it on.

WWD: Anybody else?

P.K.S.: Whether you like his style or not, Willy Nylander is his own person. I like the fact that he’s going to own who he is, and he’s going to own what he wears. Jack Eichel doesn’t talk a whole lot but every time he walks in, his suits are remarkable. He’s always got [Jacques] Marie Mage glasses on, which I appreciate because it’s all class and elegance, and he’s been like that since he came in the league. It’s not because he’s got this $100 million contract now. It’s his appreciation of being a leader and representing the Vegas Golden Knights. Then Mitch Marner is starting to be a guy that I like. He’s got his little glasses and he puts on his little motorcycle jacket. Then, Mikhail Sergachev: buckle up for this guy. He comes in strong every single game. And it’s fashion. Tom Wilson always looks great in a suit and Auston Matthews is a guy who’s consistently paid attention to fashion.

WWD: Why do you think tunnel style has become so important?

P.K.S.: I think it’s important if you want it to be important. As athletes, we can’t complain when people give us a platform to express ourselves. You can walk in wearing a T-shirt that says: “Love me.” You can have charitable initiatives. You can walk in wearing a freaking garbage bag over your head — it’s all about your mindset and how you approach it. Are you showing up to work? Are you showing up to be a role model? Are you showing up just to get your paycheck, and you don’t give a s–t? At the end of the day, you’ve got to go on the ice, on the field, or on the court, and leave it all out there. That’s where fans are going to judge you. But to me, you don’t have to come in as the most fashionable guy, but you should come in as a professional.

WWD: As you’ve transitioned from a player to a broadcaster, do you dress differently?

P.K.S.: Absolutely not. The way I dress is who I am. I would never have somebody tell me that I should wear something. There’s a difference between a peak lapel and a wide lapel, and I’m going wide lapel. My chest is going to be open when I walk in. That’s just who I am. What has evolved in my fashion is understanding the quality. I see that even before I see a designer name.

WWD: Who are your favorite designers?

P.K.S.: I would say Yohji [Yamamoto] and Mihara [Yasuhiro], because they’re Asian brands. Yohji is probably the best brand for me, because of the way their clothing is, and my style. I’m rock ‘n’ roll, but I have to be a chameleon — I can dress pretty much any way that I want. But it’s always tasteful and the best quality. Rick Owens is a favorite, too. I can walk you through my closet right now and show you my Greg Lauren, Rick, Dries [Van Noten]. I have Yohji collections from 10 years ago. And all the suits I wear now are Cesare Attolini. I haven’t worn one on the air yet, but they’re the best. I also love Ziggy [Chen], Ann Demeulemeester and Uma Wang. I also have cool vintage pieces from John Sullivan. My closet means a lot to me because it represents my evolution in fashion and who I really am. In my retirement, the walls have opened up. It allows me to wear [different] things and have a platform to do that. I think people need to be educated in fashion — especially in men’s fashion. There are a lot of things you can wear that are going to give you style and an elevated look. I like my high-waisted pants, but maybe I won’t wear a tie. Instead, I might wear a three-button collar and my Marie Mage glasses and I’ve taken a look and elevated it. I’m not always perfect, but I try to work at it.

WWD: What about accessories, are they important to you?

P.K.S.: Yes, it’s something that’s grown over the years. I’m a man of faith. My aunt is the magistrate of the island where my mom is from in the Caribbean, and so for the first seven years of my life, she read the Bible to me and my brothers and sisters every night. I was a part of the hockey ministry since I was 15. So if I’m going to wear something around my neck, it has to have some type of purpose. My chains have small crosses. They’re made by Ari Soffer, the guy who started Chrome Hearts. He does custom jewelry and bags for me.