Canadiens’ P.K. Subban pledges $10 million to children’s hospital

Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban’s skills earned him the Norris trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman in 2013, but an off-ice decision he announced Wednesday may be his best and most significant move yet.

Subban pledged to give Montreal Children’s Hospital $10 million over seven years through his foundation, a donation hospital officials said was the largest philanthropic commitment ever made by a Canadian athlete. Part of the money will help families of ailing children cope with the financial problems those illnesses can bring.

Subban isn’t the first athlete to give back to his community, and not even the first member of the Montreal Canadiens to display such generosity.

As noted in a Montreal Gazette editorial, now-retired forward Saku Koivu — who ended his career with the Ducks — helped raise money so Montreal General Hospital could purchase equipment for the treatment of cancer patients following his own cancer care. And other athletes in various sports are active in their respective communities, often insisting that their deeds not be publicized.

But in a time when off-the-field infractions seem to get more attention than good deeds, Subban’s pledge deserves applause. His kindness goes beyond the logo on the front of a uniform.