When Brandon Montour signed with the Seattle Kraken this offseason, the skepticism of this being another disappointing year has seemed to fade slightly. Now, it appears that the abysmal defensive unit of last season has flipped around to being a solid group.
Can Montour be that much of a difference-maker, and bring the Kraken back to the playoffs?
Significant Upgrade
There is no downside to Montour signing with the Kraken. Financially, his $7.14 million over the next seven seasons is a steal for a dependable D-man with Stanley Cup experience. Many teams around the NHL would have to search high and low to find somebody that will play 1st-line minutes at a little over $7 million a year.
As Seattle hasn't significantly impacted the NHL in their brief and new history, they are currently a middle-of-the-road team in the NHL tier list. They are good, not great, and certainly not bad. With that said, they have a long road to go before they can be considered any more than a surprise wildcard team that will only be able to be sustainable for a season or two, at most.
Montour is a significant upgrade that can catapult Seattle into a higher echelon of the Pacific Division. Alongside defenseman Vince Dunn, they are a solid first-line duo in front of goaltender Joey Daccord. Their hopeful success will dictate the rest of the defensive pairings, and in turn, influence Daccord's ability to keep his momentum going from last season.
In all honesty, Montour was the best deal of the summer for the Kraken, and when the 2024-25 season comes to an end, they will reap all the benefits of acquiring him. He can add offense, support with stellar defense, and adds valuable leadership.
How important is the Brandon Montour signing?