Malcolm Subban Bio
Malcolm-Jamaal Justin Subban is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who plays goaltender for HC Dynamo Pardubice of the Czech Extraliga. Selected by the Boston Bruins in the first round, 24th overall, of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, Subban has suited up for several NHL organizations, including the Vegas Golden Knights, Chicago Blackhawks, Buffalo Sabres, and Columbus Blue Jackets. Standing 188 centimeters tall and weighing 91 kilograms, the Toronto native has built a career largely spent in the American Hockey League while earning opportunities at the top level.
Early Life and Background
Malcolm-Jamaal Justin Subban was born on December 21, 1993, in Toronto, Ontario. He is the son of Karl and Maria Subban. Karl starred in basketball at Lakehead University, where he became the program’s fifth all-time leading scorer. Subban began playing hockey at age three, and like many young players he initially skated as a defenseman before switching to goaltender at age 12.
Subban’s older brother, P. K., is a now-retired Norris Trophy-winning defenseman who played for the Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators, and New Jersey Devils. His younger brother, Jordan, was a fourth-round selection of the Vancouver Canucks in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. The family also includes an older sister, Nastassia, who played basketball at York University and finished as the all-time leading scorer in Ontario University Athletics.
Path to Hockey
After switching to goaltender, Subban competed at the Midget AAA level in the Greater Toronto Hockey League with the Mississauga Reps. He reached the 2010 National Midget AAA Championship and started the final, allowing only three goals on 58 shots in a losing effort. He was selected in the 11th round of the 2009 Ontario Hockey League Priority Draft by the Belleville Bulls and made his OHL debut during the 2009–10 season, appearing in one game.
Subban established himself as a starter with the Bulls in 2010–11, playing 32 games and recording 10 wins while earning a place on the OHL All-Rookie Team. Heading into the 2011–12 season he was ranked as the top North American goaltender prospect for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, and he responded with 29 wins in 46 games. Due to the 2012–13 NHL lockout, he returned to Belleville and posted a 29–11–4 record with a .923 save percentage, helping the Bulls reach the Eastern Conference final and earning a spot on the OHL Third All-Star Team.
Malcolm Subban Career
Early Career (2013–2015)
Subban signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Boston Bruins on September 6, 2012, and attended his first NHL training camp ahead of 2013–14. He made headlines during the preseason when he faced his brother P. K. of the Montreal Canadiens on September 16, 2013, at the Bell Centre, stopping every shot he faced in 31 minutes of work during a 6–3 Boston victory. After allowing eight goals in a preseason outing against the Detroit Red Wings, he was assigned to Boston’s AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins.
In 33 games with Providence in 2013–14, Subban posted a 15–10–5 record with a .920 save percentage and one shutout. He received his first NHL call-up on January 30, 2015, and made his NHL debut on February 20, 2015, against the St. Louis Blues. He was replaced by Tuukka Rask in the second period after allowing three goals on six shots in a 5–1 defeat.
Vegas Golden Knights Era (2017–2020)
After failing to win the backup job from Anton Khudobin in Boston’s 2017 training camp, Subban was claimed off waivers by the Vegas Golden Knights on October 3, 2017. He made the opening-night roster and was the backup for the franchise’s first-ever game, a 2–1 win over the Dallas Stars on October 7. On October 15, 2017, he won his first NHL start, stopping every shot against his former Boston teammates until the final minute of a 3–1 victory. On December 8, 2017, he made a then career-high 41 saves against the Nashville Predators in a 4–3 win, becoming part of the tenth set of brothers to face each other in an NHL game with one playing skater and the other goaltender.
Subban finished his first Vegas season appearing in 22 games with a 13–4–2 record and a .910 save percentage. In 2018–19, he appeared in 21 games and posted an 8–10–2 record. He recorded his first NHL shutout in a 5–0 win over the Winnipeg Jets on March 21, 2019. In 2019–20, his save percentage dipped to .890 across 20 appearances, and on February 24, 2020, he was traded, along with Slava Demin and a 2020 second-round pick, to the Chicago Blackhawks in a three-team deal that sent Robin Lehner to Vegas.
Chicago Blackhawks Era (2020–2021)
Subban made a brief appearance for the Blackhawks on March 3, 2020, replacing Corey Crawford for 70 seconds during a 6–2 win over the Anaheim Ducks before the NHL paused its season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After being non-tendered, he returned to Chicago on a two-year, $1.7 million contract and made his first start of the 2020–21 season on January 14, 2021, taking a 5–1 loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He earned his first win with the club on February 7, 2021, in a 2–1 victory over the Dallas Stars, and posted his first shutout as a Blackhawk on February 25, 2021, blanking the Columbus Blue Jackets 2–0.
Buffalo Sabres Era (2021–2023)
Subban was claimed off waivers by the Buffalo Sabres on December 2, 2021, and debuted two days later in a 6–2 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. On January 12, 2022, he made a relief appearance against the Tampa Bay Lightning, collided with Patrick Maroon, and suffered an upper-body injury that required surgery and ended his season. He re-signed with Buffalo on a one-year, two-way deal in July 2022 and spent 2022–23 as the starter for the Rochester Americans, going 20–14–5 with a .903 save percentage in 39 games and helping the club reach the Eastern Conference finals.
Springfield, Cleveland, and Belleville (2023–2025)
As a free agent, Subban signed a one-year, two-way contract with the St. Louis Blues on July 1, 2023, and was assigned to the Springfield Thunderbirds, where he went 11–14–4 with a .907 save percentage in 31 games. On March 8, 2024, he was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets and assigned to the Cleveland Monsters, posting a 1–0–0 record before being recalled for one NHL appearance, a 3–0 loss to Carolina in which he stopped 32 of 35 shots. Released from a professional tryout with the Grand Rapids Griffins in October 2024, he signed a one-year AHL contract with the Belleville Senators on October 28, 2024, and went 11–6–4 with a 3.13 goals-against average in 24 games.
Notable Events and Milestones
Subban represented Canada at the 2013 World Junior Championships in Ufa, Russia, appearing in six games and recording four wins as Canada finished fourth. His first NHL start for the Golden Knights on October 15, 2017, included a near-shutout against his former Boston teammates, and he later posted his first NHL shutout on March 21, 2019, against the Winnipeg Jets. His December 8, 2017, matchup against P. K. Subban of the Nashville Predators placed him among a small group of brothers who have opposed each other across the skater and goaltender positions.
2025 Season Performance
On November 9, 2025, Subban signed with HC Dynamo Pardubice of the Czech Extraliga, beginning the next chapter of his career in Europe. The move followed a 2024–25 AHL campaign with the Belleville Senators in which he posted an 11–6–4 record with a 3.13 goals-against average and an .883 save percentage across 24 games. Joining Pardubice offers Subban an opportunity to play a top-level role after several seasons spent primarily in the AHL.
The Czech Extraliga provides a new environment with a longer travel schedule and a distinct style of play compared with the North American professional ranks. For a goaltender who has alternated between NHL call-ups and extended AHL stretches, consistent starting duties in Pardubice represent a chance to build rhythm and confidence. The 2025–26 season is expected to test his adaptability to international ice and a fresh locker room.