Get ready to love Seattle Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour even a little bit more. Unless you’re a friend of recently retired NHLer Pat Maroon.
Montour’s infectious smile – and a career-best 18 goals – endeared him to Kraken fans after signing a seven-year, $50 million free agent contract last offseason. He also may be Seattle’s best pro sports trash-talker since Gary Payton.
“I’m probably pretty annoying out there,” Montour volunteered on DailyFaceoff.com’s “Morning Cuppa Hockey” podcast. “It’s tougher when you’re on the losing end. But I have fun with it. It’s all good. It’s part of my game and what I try to bring to Seattle now.”
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As Pat Maroon doesn’t need to be reminded. No need to feel sorry for Pat; during an 848-game NHL career, he won three Stanley Cups. But bring up Brandon Montour, and this is the response you’ll get – only half-joking. “We’ve had some history. He’s one of the guys I truly hate. He’s always yapping his mouth. I’m sure I’d love him if he was my teammate. I’m sure I’d like him away from the rink. He’s a hell of a player, but for some reason, me and him go at it.”
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For his part, Montour pleads guilty as charged – with a full grin. “I’m doing my job, I guess. That’s what I’m trying to do and that’s what he’s trying to do. That’s one guy I could obviously agitate. If he was skating around at center ice during TV timeouts, I’m going to chime in. I don’t know what it is – (maybe) his mohawk-slash-mullet? I know the guys on my team usually get a laugh out of it.”
The Kraken had been subject to the same treatment when Montour was a member of the Florida Panthers. “Every time we play a team, you try to find a guy. I know the guys in Seattle laughed and they’re like, ‘What’s that guy like?’ They never experienced me on their side. So yeah, it’s all fun and games. You leave it on the ice. Like (Maroon) said, off the ice, it’d probably be a different story.”
The Brantford, Ont. native won a Cup with the Panthers in 2024. Last month, Florida won another one without him. “People ask me if I’m jealous about not being part of it now. No, I’m not pissed. It’s not like I got traded halfway through the season and they ended up winning the Stanley Cup. Everyone should want to be in the position that they’re in every single season.”
So no, no regrets about coming to Seattle. As Montour has stated before, “We just wanted to go to a place that really wanted me and loved me as a person and needed me to help them get better.” While acknowledging, “We underachieved as a group” last season, Montour says, “I enjoyed the year. I tried to help as much as I could on the ice. You want to bring that winning mentality, that leadership, off the ice as well. And I thought I did that.”
And he’s ready to help the Kraken do better in 2025-26. “I’m starting to skate soon. I’m excited to get back in the swing of things.” Because no one knows better than “Monty” that the yapping is sweeter when you’re on the winning end of things.