Mon-Touring the Ice 

The saying “making something look easy is the hardest thing to do” definitely applies to Brandon Montour’s skating. If you watch the Kraken defender maneuver around the ice, it looks effortless…sometimes to the point that it almost looks like a dance. And more often than not, he’s always where he needs to be, doing the things he needs to do.

“I think (skating) has always been a strength of mine,” Montour said. “If I'm not moving my feet, or I'm not skating, it's more challenging for me out there. So, I know what my strengths are, and if I'm (using them) and I feel good and I'm skating, that's when I’m playing at the top of my game.”

What makes Montour’s skating so good? Few are better to ask than Kraken assistant coach, Jessica Campbell who has served as a skills coach to multiple future and current NHL players.

“There's all different types of skaters, right?” Campbell said. “The one thing that makes (Montour) such a dominant player is his speed…his power in his skating, so more the technical; but then there are the tactical elements, where he's extremely evasive.

“He's comfortable on his edges, so that allows him to move east, west, laterally, especially as an offensive defenseman. It makes him very dangerous and hard to defend as a forward as well. In all areas, (his skating) definitely complements his style of play. It makes him the player that he is.”

Campbell calls this suite of skating skills “edge dynamics.” When asked to explain, she describes it as being able to manipulate the on-ice situation in front of you using your feet.

So how does Montour do that? There are plenty of little details in how the right-handed defender skates, but we can start with a few. Let’s dig in.

Going back to the clip above, the Kraken are on the power play. As the quarterback, Montour doesn’t just hold court at the top of the zone, he moves throughout space contributing in a variety of ways.

First, he drops in on the right side for a shot attempt, then he executes a retrieval to keep the puck in play (a strength of Montour’s according to Campbell). Next, he shifts to the left flank. Watch how his strides – including a slight heel-to-heel turn – keep him constantly open as a passing target and thus a scoring threat.

Let’s investigate that movement a bit more closely. The heel-to-heel turn allows Montour to create separation and gain power without having to turn away from the play. Here he is (in white) executing that move effortlessly.

And more than just one move, Montour’s skating abilities create a dangerous offensive addition that benefits the Kraken.

“Just the elusiveness to his edge work makes him able to carry the puck east, west, or up the ice…just skating and transitioning the puck, being able to move the puck,” Campbell said. “He's able to get around pucks and move the puck and also join (the rush) right away, which to me, it's why it looks like it's dancing, because ultimately, someone like that, you don't really know where they're going. And a lot of the times, it's because they're so comfortable on one foot, two feet, inside edges, outside edges, and it's hard to defend as a forward, it's hard to check.”

Watch as Montour does all of that and more as he scores the game winning goal in a regular season game against Detroit last season.

First, he begins the breakout with his speed and sends the puck north with a tape-to-tape pass. Then he sets himself open first at the top of the zone and maintains that posture as he drifts to the top of the slot. His body follows the shot and he turns his hips to face the goal. When the rebound pops out, Montour is perfectly placed to bury the puck in net.

We know Montour can be an offensive weapon, but his skating is just as important defensively. His feet power him to get to where he needs to be quickly and effectively. Last season in the Stanley Cup Final, no Florida skater (and only two Edmonton skaters) had more loose puck recoveries in the defensive zone than Montour (98).

Here he is sticking with Connor McDavid, knocking the puck loose, and then retrieving it before clearing the zone to end a possible Edmonton possession.

“From a defensive standpoint, (edge dynamics) help any time you're going back on a retrieval puck, having deception on the puck to beat your check, just with your feet alone and your edge work,” Campbell said. “Half the time the forward is attacking the defenseman, and they're reading off of his feet going one way. So (they) scan that way.

“But when (Montour) has the edge dynamics that he does, he can present his toe caps one way when he already knows he's going to come up the other side. It makes it that much harder to read.”

There’s one other stand out detail among the many in Montour’s footwork – the double pump (or double push). It’s not easy, (you push off one foot’s edge and then the other) but it allows a skater to create power without giving up any part of a stride or advantage to one side like you would when using a crossover.

If you’re carrying the puck, the move gives you options. If you’re defending, it means you can move laterally and not give up space – either in your gap or toward a shooting or passing lane.

Here's the move in isolation.

And here’s the double push at game speed – again in the Stanley Cup Final.

Edmonton is attacking down the center of the ice. Montour has defensive support on either side, as well as back pressure from Kyle Okposo (FLA8). As Warren Foegele (EDM37) enters the zone, instead of using a crossover (which gives the attacking Oiler a read on which direction Montour is thinking, Montour uses the double push. It helps him close his gap while moving laterally right into the skating and shooting lane of Foegele. Not only does it help force a whiff by Foegele on the puck, but now Montour is in perfect position to challenge for the loose puck and negate a second scoring chance as goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky easily covers the slow moving puck.

It may look easy, but moves like these, and the awareness of when to use them is a mix of natural-born skating talent nurtured by intentional skating work both Campbell and Montour say.

“I think (Montour) is in a category of his own,” Campbell said. “He has more of that strong power structure: his stride, he's quick, and that allows him to just bring so many elements to his game, to be a force every night.

“There’re many defensemen in the league that you, right away, think of as great skaters. But think what makes (Montour) such a good skater is his puck skills, follow it, and he's creative with his puck skills, so it matches his feet. He plays that type of way, he’s involved. In everything he does, he makes a play, he's joining. You look at his power play ability, his skating makes him that much more of a shooting threat and an offensive threat. If he didn't have his feet, I don't think he would be as good as he is with the puck. (All of that) puts him at the top among skaters.”

Practice video courtesy of Seattle Kraken producer, Marcus Allen

The next chapter of Kraken hockey starts now, be part of it. Season Ticket Memberships are available.