Is Brandon Montour playing tonight against the Carolina Hurricanes - Latest update ahead of Game 1 - May 18, 2023

Brandon Montour has turned out to be a vital piece for the Florida Panthers. His availability is up to no doubt. He is neither injured nor suspended and will certainly play game 1 against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Conference finals will certainly be heated, and Montour will play an important role.

After being sent away by the Buffalo Sabres to the Florida Panthers on April 10, 2021, for a third-round pick in the 2021 NHL draft, Montour's NHL career reached new heights. He concluded the 2023 Eastern Conference first round with five goals, the most by a defender in a single series since Ed Jovanovski for the Vancouver Canucks in the 2003 Western Conference semi finals.

He recorded 37 points and an NHL-best 73 in the 2022 and 2023 respectively. In Game 7, he started the scoring and knotted it with a minute remaining in regulation to help the Panthers overcome the Boston Bruins 4-3 in overtime.

He only scored one goal in the Conference semi finals against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 1. Otherwise, his defensive contributions were enough to help his team qualify for the next round.

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Brandon Montour's NHL record

Brandon Montour #62 of the Florida Panthers

After Brandon Montour, an offensive-minded defenseman recorded 62 points (14 goals, 48 assists) in 60 games with Waterloo of the United States Hockey League, the Anaheim Ducks picked him in the second round (at pick No. 55) in the 2014 NHL draft. He signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Ducks on March 16, 2015, and played for San Diego

Having spent the first part of the 2016–17 season in San Diego, Montour was called up and made his NHL debut on December 29, 2016, in a 3–1 victory over the Calgary Flames. On February 4, 2017, he lost 3-2 to the Tampa Bay Lightning in a shootout in which he netted his first NHL goal. He concluded the season with six points (two goals, four assists) in 27 games.

Montour tied for second place among defensemen with 32 points (nine goals, 23 assists) in 80 games during his first full season with the Ducks in 2017–18. He also had a plus–16 rating.

On February 24, 2019, Brandon Montour, who was in his third season with Anaheim, was moved to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Brendan Guhle, a defender, and a first-round selection in the next NHL draft.

Before the NHL's 2019–20 season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he led all Sabres defensemen with 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) and a plus-13 rating in 54 games.