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Kristen Shilton, ESPN NHL reporterJul 1, 2024, 12:14 PM ET
CloseKristen Shilton is a national NHL reporter for ESPN.
The Seattle Kraken have signed free agent defenseman Brandon Montour to a seven-year contract, carrying an average annual value of $7.14 million.
Montour, who helped lead the Florida Panthers to the Stanley Cup last week, is a coveted right-shot defender and was one of the top blueliners available when NHL free agency began at noon on Monday. The 30-year-old spent the last three and a half seasons in Florida after being traded to the Panthers from Buffalo in 2021.
Montour finished playing out his team-friendly deal (at $3.5 million per season), but given the Panthers success in recent years — including the championship this season — and Montour’s presence as a top-pairing defenseman, he seemed on track to hit the open market. That became even more clear when Florida invested a seven-year, $69 million in Sam Reinhart on Monday morning.
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Now Montour is instead off to join the Kraken’s core in a similar top slot alongside the likes of Vince Dunn and Justin Schultz. Montour is a workhorse who carried over 23 minutes per game last season and was an important piece of the Panthers’ power play.
This opportunity to sign a large-dollar, long-term deal was a long time coming for Montour. He emerged as a star on Florida’s backend during their run to the Cup Final in 2023 and while he was slowed by injuries from that effort to the start this past year, Montour still finished with eight goals and 33 points in 66 games.
The patented offensive-defenseman thrived in coach Paul Maurice’s system and will try to translate that growth to a new role in the Pacific Northwest.
Source link : https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/40474240/seattle-kraken-sign-defenseman-brandon-montour-7-years
Author : Kristen Shilton
Publish date : 2024-07-01 17:15:54
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