The Florida Panthers have re-signed defenceman Brandon Montour. One of the top free-agent defencemen going into this summer, the Panthers bring back the 27-year-old. He signs a three-year deal worth $10.5 million ($3.5 million AAV). The contract has him locked in until the end of the 2023-24 season.
Brandon Montour's deal in #FlaPanthers: 3 x $3.5 million. @DFOHockey
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) July 28, 2021
Brandon Montour Re-Signs with Panthers
The top four defenceman was a trade acquisition of the Panthers from the Buffalo Sabres close to last season’s trade deadline. In return the Sabres received the Panthers’ third round pick in 2021, which they used to draft forward Stiven Sardarian. Through 50 games this season Montour scored seven goals and 11 assists for 18 points. The two-way defenceman was a nice addition to the Panthers blue line group near the deadline and helped them to a dominant finish in the Central division this past season. Through his career Montour has also played for the Anaheim Ducks. In 293 career games he has scored 31 goals and 78 assists for 109 total points. The Brantford, Ontario native was drafted out of University of Massachusetts-Amherst in the second round by Anaheim in the 2014 NHL entry draft. The right shot defenceman held a previous cap hit of just under $4 million.
What This Means for the Future
Montour was one of the top free agent defencman going into this summer. He’s a quality two-way player with great ice vision and plenty of time left to keep playing at a high level. General manager Bill Zito has made a handful of great moves already, including Sam Bennett and Anthony Duclair extensions. Similalrly he went and acquired a former Sabres teammate of Montour, winger Sam Reinhart. Adding Montour will only improve their odds of running the Atlantic Division this fall. With how deep the forward group looks before free agency, the team is headed in the right direction. With young goaltender Spencer Knight expected to factor into the lineup, a youth movement for the team will make them a sneaky team to make a deep playoff run.
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