The Ducks have recalled defenseman Brandon Montour from the San Diego Gulls, Anaheim’s primary development affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL).
He has remained with the mother team and looked solid and dependable in games against Toronto, a 5-2 win, and Sunday night’s 2-1 loss in Vancouver.
He showed his offensive threats a few times by stepping into the faceoff circle from the blue line, cocked and ready for a pass that never came. Once his Anaheim teammates get used to Montour’s offensive abilities, these passes will come more often.
Montour has the speed and endurance to lead an offensive charge and still get back to cover his defensive responsibilities. That is one of the things tools that scouts have observed since he played Jr. B with the Caledonia Corvairs and Brantford Golden Eagles before that.
Montour, 22, has collected 12-18=30 points with a +12 rating and 32 penalty minutes (PIM) in 34 games with San Diego this season. Montour was recalled from the Gulls co-leading the team in goals (12), while ranking tied for second in goals and sixth in scoring (30) among AHL defensemen. Montour made his NHL debut on Dec. 29 at Calgary, recording one shot on goal in 17:54 time on ice (TOI). He is scoreless with a +1 rating and two PIM in five games with the Ducks this season.
Selected by Anaheim in the second round (55th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft, Montour has earned 25-72=97 points and a +22 rating in 116 career AHL games with San Diego (2015-present) and Norfolk (2014-15). Montour has also recorded five assists (0-5=5) and a +3 rating in nine Calder Cup Playoff appearances with the Gulls.
