Q&A: As he returns to face Panthers, Brandon Montour talks Florida tenure, Cup run
Brandon Montour made his mark on the Florida Panthers.
The offensive-minded defenseman became a fan favorite over his three-plus seasons with the franchise after being acquired at the trade deadline in the 2020-21 season. His affable, upbeat personality made him a favorite inside the dressing room as well.
And Montour put up the results, too. Over 239 regular season games with Florida, Montour scored 37 goals and tallied 110 assists. This included his record-setting 2022-23 campaign in which he set the single-season franchise record for points (73) and assists (57) by a defenseman and tied the club record for goals in a season by a blueliner (16).
His tenure was capped by winning the franchise’s first-ever Stanley Cup, and he parlayed his success with Florida into a seven-year, $50 million contract with the Seattle Kraken.
Montour on Saturday will play in his first game at Amerant Bank Arena since Florida’s Cup-clinching Game 7 win over the Edmonton Oilers. Puck drop between the Panthers and Kraken is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Before the game, Montour spoke about his return to South Florida to face the Panthers, his Florida tenure, the magical Stanley Cup run and the emotions that might come when he takes the ice Saturday at Amerant Bank Arena.
Here are the highlights from that interview, with answers edited slightly for length and clarity.
So how does it feel to be back?
“It’s good. I got a couple days to chill out, see some old places, take the guys kind of as a tour guide, kind of check it out. We went on the boat yesterday. Guys enjoyed getting on the water for a few hours. But good memories walking down and just driving down Federal [Highway] and all those memories on the beach. Obviously, those are pretty cool.”
Dmitry Kulikov said earlier this season that whenever he goes toward the beach, the first thing that clicks is the parade. You’re staying on the beach. Is it kind of the same for you?
“Exactly. I think you just see the memory of taking a right turn, it’s storming and just seeing the amount of people on the beach and in the streets, restaurants and hotels. It’s funny me and Muzz [fellow former Panthers defenseman Josh Mahura] actually were just reminiscing, looking at old pictures from the parade and stuff like that. So it’s really cool to be back.”
It’s been almost eight months since you guys won the Cup. Has it sunk in?
“It’s sunk in. It’s been long enough, but again, it hasn’t, too. Just because when we finished, I had to find a new team within the next couple days. So we finished celebration and then it was figuring out what was good for our future. There was the parade. The next day, we flew out to Mexico for a wedding. We flew back to Florida, packed up, and then we were home for four weeks. But in the mix of the four weeks that we were home, we had to travel to Seattle, buy a place, see the area, get to Seattle, settle in. We had our second baby. And now, we have 20, 30 games left here. The year has gone by really fast, and then coming back here feels like you still live here, in a sense. But yeah, good memories, and I’m having a heck of a time here in Seattle.”
What do you think the emotions are going to be like Saturday, playing in Amerant Bank Arena for the first time since Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final?
“It’ll be cool. In the end, it’s hockey. I’ve been on other teams as well, but hopefully there’s some cheers. It’s going to be a cool, cool experience. Obviously, it’s longer into the season. It’s been a while, but definitely laughs. You get as far as we did so many years, and you create those relationships. As serious as the game is, it’s going to be funny. I carried kind of a light mood, and they know that. It’s cool to kind of be a part of all that. And playing the game, obviously the goal is to get the two points, so that will be the focus.”
What do you think you’ll be feeling when you see the banner hanging up there?
“That’s the only kind of bummer about leaving is seeing all those experiences that they’ve had when they got back. The White House, the banner, guys experienced days leading up to the season having the trophy.For us, it was so quick because we had it for the parade and we had it for our 24 hours, and then that was kind of it. So seeing guys celebrate it still for as long as they did was cool and I’m happy for them. To not kind of be a part of it is kind of the only thing that sucks in a sense, but it’ll be cool to kind of get back in there. I’ve been on the other side when the arena has been pretty empty. That was the last time I was in that building on the other side. So it’s cool to kind of see where it’s come being a big part growing this game here.”
We saw the video of your Panthers teammates giving you your ring when they came to Seattle. What was it like to have that moment?
“Yeah. They were like, ‘Do you want to wait till you get the Florida?’ We’re like, ‘No way. You guys bring these things here.’ The guys have been doing that with the guys that left, but seeing everyone there, it was obviously, cool to build those relationships over the years. You’re so close with those guys. We have so many group chats that we still use each day. I feel like it’s still going just as much as when we play together. Those will last forever.”
This story was originally published February 22, 2025 at 7:16 AM.
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