"Very excited for the opportunity here," Subban told The Buffalo News after practice. "I couldn't wait to get here and get on the ice. It's great timing, for sure."
Subban - whose older brother, P.K., was the Norris Trophy winner in 2012-13 - was a first-round draft pick by Boston in 2012 (21st overall). He spent four professional seasons in the Bruins organization prior to being claimed off waivers by Vegas in October 2017.
Subban played 63 games over three seasons with the Golden Knights before being acquired by the Blackhawks in February 2020. He played 16 NHL games last season, posting a .900 save percentage, and followed it up with what he described as the best summer of his pro career.
"I feel like since I turned pro at 19, I think I've come such a long way in my game and my technical game and my mentality towards everything and being a professional," he said. "I feel like this is the furthest I've come and I'm looking to go further and just keep improving every day."
Subban will have a chance to test the fruits of his labor with the Sabres. The team reassigned Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to Rochester on Friday, moving forward with Subban and Aaron Dell as its tandem while Tokarski remains in COVID protocol.
Sabres coach Don Granato said the team has deemed Rochester as the best place for 22-year-old Luukkonen's development, allowing him to log consistent playing time among a group of prospects that includes first-round picks Jack Quinn and Peyton Krebs.
"There's a benefit there that might exceed the benefit here right now, today," Granato said. "… And that's what it comes down to. That's what it comes down to with all those guys that are in Rochester, because there are some guys in Rochester that they could play games and play in the NHL.
"But we are in it for the long haul. We don't want to - rush is a bad word, because we're pushing guys to accelerate development. But we feel the best way to accelerate, you can accelerate development using your American League team. That's why you have it."
