Florida added Brandon Montour back at the trade deadline and it appears they liked what they saw from the defenseman. Former NHLer Shane O’Brien of the Missin Curfew podcast was the first to report (Twitter link) that the Panthers have re-signed the blueliner; Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli adds (Twitter link) that the deal will carry a $3.5MM AAV. CapFriendly reports that the structure of the deal is as follows:
2021-22: $750,000 salary + $1.75MM SB
2022-23: $750,000 salary + $3.5MM SB
2023-24: $775,000 salary + $4.475MM SB
Two years ago, the 27-year-old looked like he was going to be a core NHL defender to the point where Buffalo traded a first-round pick to get him. However, he struggled at times during his tenure with the Sabres who had given consideration to non-tendering him back in the fall. They ultimately did reach a new deal with him (one that actually paid $350K more than this contract) and flipped him to the Panthers for a third-rounder in April.
Between the two teams, Montour managed seven goals and 11 assists in 50 games during the regular season while averaging a little over 20 minutes per game. His role was a little shorter in the playoffs, however, as he logged 17:06 per night while being held off the scoresheet in their six-game opening-round loss to Tampa Bay.
Nevertheless, Montour still lands a nice contract, one that was made possible with yesterday’s trade of Anton Stralman to Arizona for cap relief. He should slot in on Florida’s second pairing behind Aaron Ekblad who will be ready to return next season after missing the end of the year plus the playoffs with a leg injury. Florida now has a little over $10MM in cap space, per CapFriendly, with a big chunk of that slated to be earmarked for Sam Reinhart who was acquired at the draft.
Panthers going to be real good this year!
Panthers doing a great job picking the Sabres’ corpse clean.
Reinhart for a late first round pick and a former 7th round pick tiny goalie and getting Montour signed to an OK deal.
Hey I was 5’11+” 149lbs when I graduated HS. I gained 20+lbs over a few years after graduation. Ryan Miller never weighed more than 170lbs ish while playing for Buffalo for 9 seasons. Hasek was also not a very big goalie. Rhino made $5.5mil last season & went to arbitration so if he goes to arbitration again he is getting a raise.
Is there a reason you’re trying to discredit Levi so much? I noticed it on the actual trade and now again. He was a late bloomer man, he’d be the top goalie prospect in quite a few organizations right now. He isn’t something to scoff at and is an actual return, especially for a rental.
There is a reason (and it’s not personal). I see NO reason to mess around with small goalies in the modern NHL.
That’s not to say a few cannot succeed, but I wouldn’t waste time on those lower odds.
Every now again a Saros will have a good year or DeSmith will be better than I expect, but…in the past 20 years, two goalies under 6 foot have won Cups (Thomas and Osgood) and none in the past decade.
Same reason I’d draft 6’4 pitchers even if a 5’11 pitcher can be great every so often, too.
Levi is listed as 6’0″ and is still only 19.
If you are going to die on this hill perhaps stick to baseball.
Two Cups in 20 years and none in a decade, but OK. I will gladly stand on the hill with 90% of the success. You can have the crumbs in the valley.
Pens just signed a fidget college FA and my stance remains the same.
You can have the jockeys. I’ll take the small forwards.
By that standard only 1 goalie has won a cup in the last 10 years that was over 6’2″ so no one should target a goalie over 6’2″
Levi is 6’0″ and still growing.
Vaz is 6’3 and has won two. Murray is 6’4 and won two. So, actually 4 of the past 6 Cups have been won by goalies 6’3 or bigger.
Also, are you guys in his family? You are free to love Devon Levi and ignore my policy on tiny goalies, you know. Have you sworn to defend him to the death?
Murray was only responsible for 1 of those, and I thought he was only 6’2″. My bad.
OK, I’ll bite…which of the two Cups he won are you claiming Murray didn’t win?
The one where MAF took over the reigns.
Except that it was Murray who took over the reigns from MAF that year…he got the final 3 wins in the Eastern Finals and played every minute of the Cup Final (as he did in 2016, as well) and he shut out the Preds in the last two games.
In those two Cups, Matt won 22 games, Marc won 9 and (trivia time) Jeff Zatkoff won 1.