Kraken’s Brandon Montour Activated Off IR

On Thursday, Jan. 15, the Seattle Kraken activated defenseman Brandon Montour off of injured reserve (IR).

Montour last played on Dec. 16 when the Kraken hosted the Colorado Avalanche. He only logged a total of 11:46 on the ice before he exited the game early due to an injury. On Dec. 22, the Kraken announced that Montour underwent surgery for his hand and he is expected to miss four weeks. Before his injury, Montour played in 27 games and recorded 16 points via six goals and 10 assists.

Montour has been an excellent two-way defender for Seattle this season. Even with missing 14 games, he has the second-most points for a defender on the team. The only player who sits above him is Vince Dunn, who has 25 points in 43 games.

Before his injury, Montour played on the second defensive pairing alongside Ryan Lindgren. In Montour’s absence, Cale Fleury has been shouldering the pairing with Lindgren. With Montour’s return, Fleury will more than likely be a healthy scratch again.

In addition to this, the Kraken have sent forward Jacob Mealnson back down to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds. So far this season, he has played in 15 games and has recorded four points via one goal and three assists. He scored his first NHL goal on Jan. 5 when the Kraken hosted the Calgary Flames. Melanson was a good addition to Seattle’s bottom six, but with Montour now back in the lineup, they will need the roster spot for him.