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 again in Florida this fall, Brandon Montour won’t be there. He won’t be at Amerant Bank Arena. He won’t even be on the East Coast. Instead, Montour will be on the other side of the country, beginning his new life with his new team.

And while Montour knows that he will miss some things, he doesn’t have any regrets.

“There’s things obviously you’re going to miss,” Montour said. “You miss the ring ceremonies, you miss the first games, you miss days with the Cup. … I’m not there, so it [stinks] in that point.

“But that page is completely turned. I’m excited about being in Seattle. I’m excited to experience that with this organization. That’s a big reason why I chose Seattle is it was cool winning in Florida for the first time as an organization. It would be cool to do that in Seattle, so that’s what the goal is.”

Montour spent the past three seasons in Florida after being traded from the Buffalo Sabres to the Panthers during the 2020-21 season. He experienced an impressive run, winning the Presidents’ Trophy in 2022, then going to the Stanley Cup Final in each of the next two seasons, winning in 2024 before riding off into the sunset.

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

He has had enough time in Seattle to find a place to live and visit the practice rink, though he has yet to head over to Climate Pledge Arena since signing. It was important to get settled quickly, with a baby due at the end of November.

“We’re super excited,” Montour said. “Obviously just for myself and my family, excited for new surroundings. … Excited just to see new faces still and meet new guys, get on the ice, meet them for the first time. Obviously training camp you’ll see new coaches and stuff, so it’s an interesting time and excited to be a part of that.”

For Montour, the Kraken are the fourth team in his eight-year career in the NHL after the Anaheim Ducks, Sabres and Panthers.

He’s looking forward to having a major impact on a team that’s trying to bounce back from a disappointing 2023-24 season. After making it to the Western Conference Second Round in 2023, the Kraken missed the playoffs by 17 points.

“Obviously on the ice in all situations, I think I’ll play a large role,” Montour said. “Offensively, defensively play big minutes and then off the ice as well, just being a leader and bringing my experience that I’ve had in my career, being as far as I’ve been in the last two years.”

Montour has already experienced quite a bit in his tenure in the NHL, from the veteran-laden Anaheim team he started with to the stumbling teams of his Buffalo years to his success in Florida.

“I’ve experienced a good amount of things in my career so far that obviously I can bring to Seattle and will bring there,” Montour said.

The hope, ultimately, is that he can bring the success of Florida to the Pacific Northwest, that all the things he’s going to miss this fall in Florida, he can experience in Seattle if he can help lead the Kraken to the Cup.

“It was super cool winning in Florida just because of everyone that’s been a part of [the team] for 30 years,” Montour said. “Just seeing everyone’s reaction to it, it was memories that you’d always remember. But to do that with a new team again would be super cool.”