Montour signs 7-year, $50 million contract with Kraken

Brandon Montour signed a seven-year, $50 million contract with the Seattle Kraken on Monday. It has an average annual value of $7.14 million.

The 30-year-old defenseman had 33 points (eight goals, 25 assists) in 66 regular-season games for the Florida Panthers last season and 11 points (three goals, eight assists) in 24 Stanley Cup Playoff games to help the Panthers win the Cup.

“There’s so many things that go into it,” Montour told TSN on Monday. “Intriguing and you can see the passion that that sports city has. A team that was one win away from the conference finals, what, two years ago? … It was a team that pressed on trying to win, wanting to win and that is their main goal to get there.”

Montour had NHL career highs in goals (16), assists (57) and points (73) in 80 games for Florida in 2022-23.

“First time kind of going through this whole experience,” Montour said. “Excited to be in Seattle. It’s been a long process. … An up and down week but excited to get going.”

Selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the second round (No. 55) of the 2014 NHL Draft, Montour has 252 points (66 goals, 186 assists) in 520 regular-season games for the Panthers, Buffalo Sabres and Ducks and 35 points (11 goals, 24 assists) in 82 playoff games.

“Brandon is a proven winner, and we are thrilled to have him joining our organization,” Kraken general manager Ron Francis said. “We’re looking forward to him making his Kraken debut in front of the best fans in the NHL.”