Kraken's Montour Takes Personal Leave, Gaudreau Sidelined with Injury
Seattle Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour is taking a temporary leave of absence due to a family matter, the team announced Saturday morning. The announcement was made via social media, just hours before the Kraken were set to face the Toronto Maple Leafs. The team has requested that the privacy of Montour and his family be respected during this time, and no further details will be released.
Montour, 31, is in his second season with the Kraken and his 11th in the NHL. The Brantford, Ontario native was originally drafted by the Anaheim Ducks in the second round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. He has played 605 career games with the Ducks, Buffalo Sabres, Florida Panthers, and Kraken, amassing 84 goals and 213 assists for 297 points. Montour won a Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers in 2024.
This season, Montour has been off to a strong start, recording four assists in four games while averaging 22:48 of ice time per game. His absence will create a significant void on the Kraken blue line. Cale Fleury is expected to take Montour's place in the lineup.
The Kraken are already dealing with another significant absence, as veteran center Frederick Gaudreau is expected to miss the next 4-6 weeks with an upper-body injury. Gaudreau, 32, sustained the injury after being slammed into the boards in Ottawa. He has one assist in four games this season, his first with Seattle. Throughout his NHL career, Gaudreau has played 414 games with the Nashville Predators, Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota Wild, and Kraken, tallying 61 goals and 92 assists. John Hayden has been called up to replace Gaudreau.
Montour is currently in the second season of a seven-year, $50 million contract with an average annual value of $7.14 million. The loss of both Montour and Gaudreau presents a challenge for head coach Lane Lambert as the Kraken look to navigate their upcoming games. The team is currently 2-0-2 on the season.
The Kraken recently faced the Toronto Maple Leafs without Montour. The team hopes for a quick resolution to Montour's family matter and Gaudreau's speedy recovery.
