Montour taking long view with Kraken after winning Stanley Cup with Panthers

LAS VEGAS — When the celebrations of the 2024 Stanley Cup win kick off once more in Florida this fall, Brandon Montour received’t be there. He received’t be at Amerant Financial institution Enviornment. He received’t even be on the East Coast. As a substitute, Montour shall be on the opposite aspect of the nation, starting his new life together with his new workforce.

And whereas Montour is aware of that he’ll miss some issues, he doesn’t have any regrets.

“There’s issues clearly you’re going to overlook,” Montour stated. “You miss the ring ceremonies, you miss the primary video games, you miss days with the Cup. … I’m not there, so it [stinks] in that time.

“However that web page is totally turned. I’m enthusiastic about being in Seattle. I’m excited to expertise that with this group. That’s a giant motive why I selected Seattle is it was cool profitable in Florida for the primary time as a company. It could be cool to try this in Seattle, in order that’s what the purpose is.”

Montour spent the previous three seasons in Florida after being traded from the Buffalo Sabres to the Panthers through the 2020-21 season. He skilled a powerful run, profitable the Presidents’ Trophy in 2022, then going to the Stanley Cup Remaining in every of the subsequent two seasons, profitable in 2024 earlier than using off into the sundown.

The defenseman signed a seven-year, $50 million contract with the Kraken on July 1.

He has had sufficient time in Seattle to discover a place to dwell and go to the apply rink, although he has but to move over to Local weather Pledge Enviornment since signing. It was essential to get settled rapidly, with a child due on the finish of November.

“We’re tremendous excited,” Montour stated. “Clearly only for myself and my household, excited for brand new environment. … Excited simply to see new faces nonetheless and meet new guys, get on the ice, meet them for the primary time. Clearly coaching camp you’ll see new coaches and stuff, so it’s an fascinating time and excited to be part of that.”

For Montour, the Kraken are the fourth workforce in his eight-year profession within the NHL after the Anaheim Geese, Sabres and Panthers.

He’s trying ahead to having a significant impression on a workforce that’s making an attempt to bounce again from a disappointing 2023-24 season. After making it to the Western Convention Second Spherical in 2023, the Kraken missed the playoffs by 17 factors.

“Clearly on the ice in all conditions, I believe I’ll play a big position,” Montour stated. “Offensively, defensively play large minutes after which off the ice as effectively, simply being a frontrunner and bringing my expertise that I’ve had in my profession, being so far as I’ve been within the final two years.”

Montour has already skilled fairly a bit in his tenure within the NHL, from the veteran-laden Anaheim workforce he began with to the stumbling groups of his Buffalo years to his success in Florida.

“I’ve skilled an excellent quantity of issues in my profession to date that clearly I can carry to Seattle and can carry there,” Montour stated.

The hope, finally, is that he can carry the success of Florida to the Pacific Northwest, that every one the issues he’s going to overlook this fall in Florida, he can expertise in Seattle if he might help lead the Kraken to the Cup.

“It was tremendous cool profitable in Florida simply due to everybody that’s been part of [the team] for 30 years,” Montour stated. “Simply seeing everybody’s response to it, it was recollections that you just’d at all times bear in mind. However to try this with a brand new workforce once more can be tremendous cool.”