P.K. Subban Slammed for 'Horrible' Body-Shaming Joke About Lizzo During NHL Playoffs

The former NHL player made a distasteful comment after the Florida Panthers defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday

P.K. Subban is facing backlash from viewers after he cracked a joke that took aim at singer Lizzo's body.

The former NHL player, 33, drew criticism for his commentary after the Florida Panthers beat the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night.

The comment came in response to ESPN co-anchor John Buccigross, who said the Maple Leafs need to "pack a lunch," referencing their disappointing loss at home to the Florida Panthers. Buccigross, 57, suggested that the Maple Leafs' "packed lunch" would give them the energy to keep up with their opponents.

Subban chimed in after Buccigross' comment, saying the team might need to "pack a Lizzo-sized lunch," as if to use the plus-sized singer's body as a means of measurement.

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The comment sparked immediate backlash on social media from users calling Subban "fatphobic" and calling for his removal from ESPN.

One user tweeted, "The disgusting people enjoying PK Subban's comment about Lizzo are exactly WHY he should have kept his mouth shut. I've been a PK fan and supporter from day one - but his recent comments on Pride and now this? I don't see him the same way anymore. This is not okay."

Another user on the website expressed disappointment that they couldn't watch the Stanley Cup playoffs "without some panelists making a dig at women."

The same account compared the comment to a controversial statement made on TNT by Paul Bissonnette last year. In October, Bissonnette said that "half the reason the NHL has female viewership is because the players are attractive," per reporter Nathan Strauss. The comment was not well-received among hockey fans at the time.

Related:P.K. Subban Announces Retirement from NHL After 13 Seasons: 'This Chapter Is Closing'

The NHL has suffered a handful of recent blunders when it comes to representation. Another Twitter user pointed out that as the NHL claims it's "growing the game for women," the hockey community has fallen short, listing the incidents with Subban and Bissonnette, among others.

Sports analyst Mark Madden called Subban's comment a "typical Subban clown move" and said he's "just horrible" in his role at ESPN.

Some fans of the "Good As Hell" singer took aim at Subban's career after the comment. "I never heard of PK Subban in my life! So that makes sense he had to fat shame Lizzo unprovoked so he'd get attention," an account tweeted.

Subban joined ESPN as a commentator after his retirement from the NHL last year.

He announced his decision to discontinue his professional playing career in a tweet.

"I remember my dreams of playing in the NHL and winning a Stanley Cup, similar to the guys on the Don Cherry Rock'em Sock'em tapes at the end of every volume, with black eyes, broken bones, and tears of joy," he begun the post, referencing the series of hockey highlight videos.

"To this day, I still dream about it."

Subban then shared, "the end of this chapter is closing and after 13 years in the NHL, I have made the decision to retire." He said throughout his career he has always thought of himself as "a person who happened to play hockey" not "'just a hockey player.' "

Related:Chicago Blackhawks Reverse Plan to Wear Pride Warmup Jerseys, Citing Russian Laws: Reports

"Having that perspective allowed me to enjoy every shift like it was my last, celebrate every goal with emotion, and play every game as if someone paid to watch me play who had never seen me play before," he continued.

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