The Kraken will be without their top defender for the next little while. The team announced (Twitter link) that Brandon Montour will be taking a temporary leave of absence from the team to tend to a family matter. No further details will be provided by the club.
The 31-year-old had gotten off to a strong start for Seattle this season. Through four games, Montour leads the team in assists with four through four games while those four points are tied for the team lead. He’s also their team leader in playing time, averaging just under 23 minutes per game. That comes on the heels of playing a similar role last season when he notched 18 goals and 23 assists in 81 games while logging 22:59 per contest, a solid first season with the Kraken after signing a seven-year contract with them as an unrestricted free agent.
With Ryker Evans yet to play this season due to an upper-body injury, Seattle’s defensive depth is going to get tested a little more now. Cale Fleury has been the reserve defender for each game so far and in the short term, it makes sense that he would take Montour’s place in the lineup.
If Montour’s absence winds up taking some time, the Kraken might want to recall someone from AHL Coachella Valley to ensure that they have some depth available, especially with four games to go on their season-opening eight-game road trip. While they have a full 23-player roster at the moment, they would be able to designate Montour to non-roster status to open up a slot to recall someone into if they decide to go that route.