2022-23 Season Rewind: Brandon Montour | Florida Panthers (2024)

Moving up the depth chart just a few games into the season following an injury to No. 1 defenseman Aaron Ekblad, Montour grabbed the bull by the horns and never looked back.

Breaking out on the blue line for the Panthers, he turned heads while setting franchise records for points (73) and assists (57) by a defenseman, while also matching the record for goals (16).

When he was on the ice at 5-on-5, the Panthers posted advantages in shot attempts (1,529-1,381), scoring chances (806-704) and goals (83-61), according to NaturalStatTrick.com.

For his efforts, he finished 12th in voting for the Norris Trophy.

"The opportunity was there," Montour said during an interview on the Territory Talk podcast in June. "I wanted to take it and run with it and show not just myself, but the hockey world, my teammates and the staff that I can play a big role on a team. I think I did that."

After lighting it up and finishing tied for fifth in scoring among NHL defensem*n, Montour, who came one point shy of doubling his previous career-best total, didn't slow down in the playoffs.

Playing a key role in helping the Panthers upset the Presidents' Trophy-winning Bruins in the Eastern Conference First Round, Montour lit the lamp five times during the seven-game series, which are the most goals that any defenseman has tallied against Boston in a single series.

But he wasn't done there.

In the Stanley Cup Final, Montour scored in both Game 3 and 4 against Vegas to become just the third blueliner in the past 28 years to score goals in consecutive games in the Final, joining Justin Braun (Sharks, 2016), Brian Rafalski (Red Wings, 2008) and Brian Leetch (Rangers, 1994).

When the dust finally settled, Montour, who gained plenty of new fans during the playoffs, stood as one of only nine defenseman in NHL history to score eight goals during a single postseason.

Still, after falling three wins short of the ultimate goal, he's far from satisfied.

"Obviously the team's going to change, but we're going to be back," Montour said. "This team has made so many strides since I've personally been here. The staff, the management, they want to win more than anyone. Getting this close as a group, you want to win that much more."

Still only 29 years old, Montour is confident that his spectacular season isn't a flash in the pan.

Despite potentially missing the start of the 2023-24 campaign while recovering from injuries suffered during the playoffs, he's confident that he'll just be able to keep building from here.

Having already conquered one opportunity, he's ready for the next one to come knocking.

"I feel like I'm still young in a sense of this was my first year where I kind of had the reins," Montour said. "I tried to help out in any way that I could and I feel that this is just the start."

COOL STAT

Montour had a knack for consistently cracking the scoresheet in 2022-23.

Never going more than three games without a point, his best run came from Jan. 14 through Feb. 6 when he recorded three goals and seven assists during a stellar 10-game point streak.

Entering the season with a previous career-best streak of four games, Montour's 10-game point streak was the longest ever recorded by a defenseman with the Panthers. In addition to that hot stretch, he also posted a late-season, seven-game point streak from March 29 through Feb. 10. During that final streak, the Panthers went 6-0-1 to punch their ticket to the playoffs.

BEST GAME

Montour had a pair of four-point games during the regular season and numerous big goals in the playoffs, but I'm going to go with a game in which he didn't have a single point for his best.

Racking up the ninth-most minutes by a player in the NHL since 1997-98, Montour helped the Panthers secure a big win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final when he skated an eye-popping 57:56 across regulation and four grueling overtimes against the Hurricanes at PNC Arena on May 18.

Per NHL Edge, he skated roughly 8.85 miles.

"Obviously your gear's soaked, but I still had some energy," Montour said the next day.

But it wasn't just his endurance that impressed.

In addition to being on the ice for all three of his team's goals, Montour helped Florida edge Carolina 66-50 in shot attempts and 32-25 in shots on goal when he was deployed at 5-on-5.

Applying pressure from the blue line, his 12 shot attempts also led all Panthers defensem*n.

"He comes back to the bench, and he's fine," Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. "There are unique players. Some of them have a fitness level that's different. … His recovery is incredible."

GOAL OF THE YEAR

You could hear a pin drop at TD Garden after this goal was scored.

With the Panthers trailing 3-2 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference First Round, Montour got the Panthers into overtime when he found a loose puck in the left circle, dropped to one knee and cranked a quick shot past Jeremy Swayman to make it 3-3 with just a minute left in regulation.

Carter Verhaeghe would then provide the heroics in the extra frame to win the series for Florida.

"We're down a goal with under two minutes to go against Boston, I wouldn't bet everything [on us to win] because the math doesn't add up," Maurice said of Montour's clutch tally. "Except when that puck goes in, you go, 'Oh… we're going to win this game.'"

Having already lit the lamp in the first period on the power play to open the scoring, Montour also became just the fifth defenseman in NHL history to score a pair of goals in a Game 7.

"Guys battled hard," he said after the win. "Anything can happen."