Kraken's Brandon Montour highlights key reason for leaving Stanley Cup winners Florida Panthers

By Ankit Kumar

Modified Jul 05, 2024 19:33 GMT

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Brandon Montour opened up about his decision to leave the Stanley Cup-winning Florida Panthers and sign with the Seattle Kraken. Montour played a crucial role in the Panthers' championship run, and in today's episode of the "Missin Curfew" podcast, he discussed the factors that influenced his move to the burgeoning hockey market in Seattle.

"You know, emotions aside, we had to figure out what was best for us. Seattle Kraken was always interested, obviously, and there's a handful of others," Montour said. "But again, I couldn't stress enough about how the sports scene in Seattle has grown and how big it is now.

"For them, they just wanted to win. They see Vegas as a new team, I guess you could say. Utah is at a point where ownership wants to get on the right track. Seattle, talking to them, they want to win. They're trying to put all their eggs in to get there. They wanted me to be a big part of that."

Brandon Montour further talked about the importance of being part of an organization that values and supports its players, both on and off the ice:

"For me, I wanted the team—contract aside—to want me and love me. It seems like their organization, from the top down, from media to women, guys to coaches, to players, to management, to fans, are close and love each other. That's why I wanted to be a part of it. We're excited about it, obviously."

Montour signed a seven-year, $49.98 million contract with the Kraken, as reported by Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

More details concerning Brandon Montour's move to Seattle Kraken

Brandon Montour's move to Seattle comes after a season in which he was limited to 66 regular-season games due to injuries. However, he managed to score 33 points. In the postseason, he averaged 22:39 of ice time per game across 24 games, scoring 11 points, including three power-play goals in the playoffs.

Montour was also linked to a move to Utah before they traded for Mikhail Sergachev. Despite this, Montour ultimately chose Seattle, drawn by the city's growing sports culture and the Kraken's ambition to build a winning team.

Kraken fans have plenty to be excited about with Montour's addition. His experience, particularly from his recent Stanley Cup victory, brings leadership to the relatively new franchise. The Kraken's management and coaching staff have high hopes that Montour will play a major role in their Stanley Cup pursuit.