Panthers acquire defenseman Brandon Montour from Buffalo

Brandon Montour of the Buffalo Sabres skates against the Philadelphia Flyers in the first period at Wells Fargo Center on January 18, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Drew Hallowell, 2021 Getty Images)

SUNRISE, Fla. ā€“ It was no secret that Bill Zito and the Florida Panthers were looking to bolster the teamā€™s defensive ranks ahead of the NHLā€™s annual trade deadline.

On Saturday, that idea became a reality as Florida acquired 26-year-old Brandon Montour (he turns 27 on Sunday) in exchange for a 2021 third-round pick.

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The deal was first reported by Sportsnet 650ā€²s Shane Oā€™Brien.

ā€œBrandon is a capable and talented right-shot defenseman who will have an immediate impact on our club,ā€ Panthers General Manager Bill Zito said in a release from the team.

Montour is playing in his fifth season after being selected in the second round of the 2014 NHL Draft by Anaheim.

He is currently playing on a one-year deal worth $3.85 million, which means heā€™ll be an unrestricted free agent once the season ends.

Montour is a decent defender and solid shot-blocker with above-average offensive skills. He can help out on the power play and penalty kill if needed, something heā€™s done through much of his career.

Good at getting shots through to the net and not afraid to skate with the puck, Montour could fit in nicely with the style of play incorporated by Panthers Head Coach Joel Quenneville.

Heā€™s logged 14 points (5-9-14) in 38 games with Buffalo this season.

ā€œHis two-way acumen and ability to play important minutes make him an exciting addition to the Panthers,ā€ Zito said.

On Thursday, Florida acquired forward Lucas Wallmark and defenseman Lucas Carlsson from the Chicago Blackhawks for Brett Connolly, Riley Stillman and Henrik Borgstrom.

Quenneville said Saturday that Wallmark and Carlsson are expected to join the team next week when the Panthers are in Tampa to wrap up their current road trip.

It is not known yet when Montour will join his new squad.

The NHL Trade Deadline is Monday at 3 p.m.


About the Author:

David Dwork joined the WPLG Local 10 News team in August 2019. Born and raised in Miami-Dade County, David has covered South Florida sports since 2007.