The Florida Panthers have acquired defenseman Brandon Montour from the Buffalo Sabres for a third-round pick, a source told ESPN.
Montour is an offensive-minded right-shot defenseman who could help fill a void with Aaron Ekblad out 12 weeks after undergoing surgery on a broken leg. The 25-year-old Ekblad was having a Norris Trophy-caliber season for the Panthers at the time of his injury in late March, scoring 11 goals and 11 assists in 35 games.
The Panthers are 26-11-4 — tied with the defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning in points. Florida ranks third in the Central Division behind the Carolina Hurricanes (who have 57 points and two games in hand) and Tampa Bay (56 points, one game in hand).
Montour is in the last year of a contract that pays him $3.85 million annually. The 26-year-old was originally acquired by the Sabres at the 2019 trade deadline from the Anaheim Ducks. Montour has five goals and nine assists in 38 games this season for Buffalo. His most productive NHL season was in 2017-18, with 32 points in 80 games for Anaheim.
Montour becomes the third player traded by the Sabres ahead of Monday’s NHL trade deadline. Goalie Jonas Johansson was sent to Colorado, while center Eric Staal was traded to Montreal. Buffalo GM Kevyn Adams may not be done yet. Winger Taylor Hall, who signed a one-year, $8 million deal with the Sabres last offseason, is expected to be moved as well.
The Sabres have been one of the league’s biggest disappointments this season. After enduring an 18-game winless streak, the longest of the salary-cap era, and firing coach Ralph Krueger in March, Buffalo is poised to miss the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season. It is the NHL’s longest postseason drought.