Brandon Montour Steps Away From Seattle Kraken Due To A Family Matter

Seattle Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour is taking an indefinite leave of absence. The team announced this on Saturday morning, just hours before they were set to face the Toronto Maple Leafs. Now, before anyone starts speculating wildly on social media (because that’s what we do these days), let’s get one thing straight: the Kraken organization has made it crystal clear that no further details will be shared, and they’re asking everyone to respect the family’s privacy.

What This Means for Seattle’s Blue Line

The timing couldn’t be more interesting for Seattle. Here’s a guy who’s been logging over 22 minutes of ice time per game this season, contributing four assists in just four games, and now he’s gone indefinitely. The Kraken are sitting at 2-0-2 to start the season, which isn’t exactly lighting the world on fire, but it’s respectable for a team still trying to find its identity.

Montour isn’t just some depth defenseman either. This is a 31-year-old veteran from Brantford, Ontario, who’s currently in year two of a seven-year, $50 million contract. Yes, you read that right – $7.14 million per season. That’s not exactly pocket change, and it’s not the kind of player you can just replace by calling up some kid from Coachella Valley.

The Financial Reality of NHL Contracts

Speaking of that contract, isn’t it fascinating how these things work? Montour signed that deal after helping the Florida Panthers win their first Stanley Cup in 2024. Nothing like championship hardware to boost your market value. But now Seattle is paying him premium money to attend to family business, which is perfectly fine from a human perspective, but from a salary cap standpoint? Well, that’s a different conversation entirely.

The Kraken are already dealing with forward Freddy Gaudreau being out 4-6 weeks with an upper-body injury. Adding Montour’s absence to that mix means head coach Lane Lambert is going to have to get creative with his lineups. Though let’s be honest, creativity and the Seattle Kraken haven’t exactly been synonymous since their inception.

Montour’s NHL Journey

Let’s give credit where it’s due though. The guy has put together a solid 11-year NHL career after being selected in the second round by Anaheim back in 2014. Through 605 career games with the Ducks, Buffalo Sabres, Florida Panthers, and now Seattle, he’s managed 84 goals and 213 assists. Those aren’t elite numbers, but they’re certainly respectable for a defenseman who’s made a living being reliable rather than flashy.

That Stanley Cup win with Florida last year was probably the highlight of his career. After bouncing around between teams for most of his career, finally getting his name engraved on Lord Stanley’s chalice had to feel pretty good. Now he’s trying to help Seattle reach those same heights, though given their track record, that might be asking a lot.

The Human Side of Professional Sports

Here’s the thing that sometimes gets lost in all the stats and salary cap discussions – these guys are people first, hockey players second. When family matters arise, everything else becomes secondary, and rightfully so. We’ve seen this pattern throughout sports over the years, and it’s always a reminder that despite the millions of dollars and the spotlight, professional athletes deal with the same life challenges as everyone else.

The NHL has generally been pretty good about supporting players who need to step away for personal reasons. While Kraken fans might be disappointed about losing a key player, Montour is doing what he needs to do for his family. The Kraken organization is handling it the right way by supporting their player while maintaining his family’s privacy. Hope everything is okay with Montour and his family.