Malcolm Subban was told he'd never sing again.
In 2016, at only 22 years old, Subban was struck in the throat with a puck during pregame warmups while in goal for the Providence Bruins. One of his vocal cords was crushed and the other was lacerated. He couldn't speak for a month.
Subban, now a goalie for the Buffalo Sabres, never planned to pursue singing seriously. But the lover of many music genres routinely used his voice to fill the silence when alone in his car or at home.
"That's when I lost it all," Subban told The Buffalo News on Saturday in KeyBank Center. "Honestly, after the first five or six years, I thought that was it. I didn't think it would ever come back again."
Malcolm Subban sings the American national anthem and both team's players love it #LetsGoBuffalo #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/M5UkKXS93F
— Buffalo Hockey moments (@SabresPlays) April 29, 2022
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Subban tried. His voice was deeper than it once was. He couldn't hit the same notes. But slowly, his singing ability returned last year, albeit with a different sound than he was accustomed. And the world heard that voice Friday night as the Sabres were readying for their season finale against the Chicago Blackhawks in KeyBank Center.
Subban, who is recovering from a wrist injury that limited him to only four games following his trade to Buffalo in December, surprised his teammates and the 16,550 fans with a stirring rendition of the Star Spangled Banner.
Everyone on both benches – Subban was a member of the Blackhawks before the trade – smiled and laughed when they realized this wasn't a video recording. Subban belted out every note, including those he didn't think his voice could ever reach again. The crowd roared in approval and people across the NHL lauded the remarkable performance.
"The boys encouraged me," Subban, 27, said during his press conference Saturday. "That wouldn’t have happened without them. ... The crowd eased me into it and made it a lot easier and the home stretch. So that was amazing to share that experience with everybody."
Even through his recovery from surgery, Subban's voice can be heard in the Sabres' dressing room. His teammates knew his passion for music. Shy at first upon arriving in the trade, Subban grew comfortable letting his love for song be known.
But nobody on the Sabres, including his close friend Alex Tuch, knew what Subban had in store for everyone.
It began a few weeks ago when Subban joked to teammates that he would sing the anthem before a game. He floated the idea to others, including Kevyn Adams, the team's general manager, and received their encouragement and blessing.
“It got so big to the point I was like, ‘All right, I’ve got to do this,' " Subban said.
Subban initially planned to have the performance recorded and played for all to see and hear. But he received enough positive message from others that he decided to do it live. His test run occurred Friday at 2:30 p.m., four and a half hours before the performance, and he focused on keeping the pitch. He even recorded a voice memo on his phone as a reminder that played, "O say."
"I was, like, so nervous before. Like, I couldn’t even eat lunch," Subban said with a laugh. "Oh yeah, I was so nervous."
Moments before he was under the spotlight, and while singer Jennifer Campbell preceded him with "O Canada," Subban was still repeating to himself, "O say, o say, o say." Then, Subban stood near the Zamboni entrance wearing his Sabres jersey, and energized his teammates before their 3-2 overtime win with the latest unforgettable moment in a season filled with them.
Players on both sides tapped their sticks on the ice and boards as he was serenaded with applause.
"It was unreal," said Sabres winger Jeff Skinner. "Obviously, that's a lot of pressure. I think it would have been for me. So that was fun to see him. Obviously, everyone was happy for him and excited. I was nervous, but he crushed it."
"I know the crowd loved it and the guy killed it," center Tage Thompson added. "He’s got some good pipes."
When the injury occurred that robbed Subban of his voice, he was told by doctors to not plan a career in singing. He never did. But Subban wasn't going to let go of a passion that runs in his family. Both of his sisters sing, and one even appeared on Canadian Idol.
"It’s coming back," he beamed. "It’s good. I’m curious to see how much of it will come back. It’s one of those things where you don’t appreciate it until it’s gone."
The Sabres were unable to see what Subban is truly capable of on the ice. He suffered a wrist injury during his fourth appearance with the club. Lightning winger Pat Maroon fell on Subban during a play near Buffalo's net on Jan. 11.
Subban was given the option to rehabilitate at home in Toronto following surgery. He enjoyed the opportunity to spend more time with family, but couldn't sit idle. Not when he ached to be back on the ice and around his teammates.
He's been a fixture around KeyBank Center ever since and has participated in community events. A pending unrestricted free agent, Subban would "love" to return next season to continue the bond created with the Sabres, which was on display for everyone to see as he showed the world that he can sing.
“I never thought I’d ever be singing the anthem at a game, but it was unbelievable to do it in front of the fans and share that moment with everyone," he said.
