Report: Dismissed analytics expert pleaded to scrap Subban trade

Analytics consultant Matt Pfeffer may have lost his job for trying to talk the Montreal Canadiens out of trading P.K. Subban.

Pfeffer made a passionate presentation to the club's brass in an effort to convince them not to make the deal that sent the star defenseman to the Nashville Predators for Shea Weber, a source told Sportsnet's Eric Engels on Wednesday.

The longtime analytics specialist, who formerly assisted the San Jose Sharks and Hockey Canada, was reportedly informed Wednesday that his contract with the Canadiens would not be renewed.

Pfeffer's insistence on the subject might have led to his dismissal, the source said, adding that when general manager Marc Bergevin ignored Pfeffer's advice, it reinforced the idea that the GM was using other criteria to judge the players.

Canadiens senior management reached out Thursday to Engels to say they are "very committed to analytics" and will be bolstering that department, reiterating the club's response to his initial report of the club parting ways with Pfeffer.

The club told Engels on Thursday it's in the process of figuring out who to add to the analytics department.

Many advanced statistics experts have criticized the Canadiens for making the trade, which looks lopsided when Subban and Weber are compared side-by-side.

(Courtesy: ownthepuck.blogspot.ca)

Bergevin insisted over the weekend that he's moved on, but questions about the deal haven't dissipated and the reported circumstances of Pfeffer's departure will likely only lead to further queries.