Montour's chirps, comedy keeping Panthers loose heading to 2nd round

TAMPA -- Brandon Montour is funny, his Florida Panthers teammates and coach say.

"He's funny, he's just funny," Paul Maurice said last week. "He's just funny."

No, this is not a scene from "Goodfellas," rather a look into one of the several reasons why the Panthers are finding success in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Besides their tight-checking game, superb goaltending and clutch scoring from players like forwards Carter Verhaeghe and Matthew Tkachuk, the humor of the 30-year-old defenseman is keeping them loose during the grind that is the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

"He is a critical piece to the fabric of our team," Maurice said.

With the Panthers wrapping up the Eastern Conference First Round against the Tampa Bay Lightning with a 6-1 victory at Amerant Bank Arena in Game 5 on Monday, the pressure will get even more intense when they try to not only get back to the Stanley Cup Final but win it all this time.

Having Montour chirping on the bench or in practice keeps everyone on their toes and in the right frame of mind.

"It's funny, he brings that lighthearted comedy to the rink, all the time, on the ice," defenseman Aaron Ekblad said. "You guys might not see it, but even during the plays and after plays on the bench, he's always saying something funny, and sometimes you just want to punch him.

"Other times, it's hilarious. It's all in good fun. He definitely keeps it lighthearted. Everyone definitely has a different demeanor when they play the game. And mine is mostly serious, his is mostly funny, so it kind of brings the best out of each other."

Montour's real job is to play defense for the Panthers, and that's no joke. He had one goal and two assists, 18 hits and 12 blocked shots against the Lightning, while averaging a team-high 23:31 of ice time per game.

As for being the comedy relief, he told NHL.com it just comes naturally.

"I think in our locker room we have a bunch of goofy guys that just enjoy being around each other, make each other happy, make each other smile," Montour said. "That's a big part of our success is that fun and enjoyment of the game and being around each other and playing with each other.

"We kind of razz each other each and every day, but it's all fun."

Following the Panthers' win in Game 3 on Thursday, Montour showed up to the postgame press conference wearing a T-shirt that had a montage of photos of teammate Nick Cousins, who, some say is the Costello to Montour's Abbott.

"Just paying my respects to a good friend of mine," Montour said. "I think the media and everyone has given him a little bit of heat this year. All fun with it. It's just a funny thing we do in the locker room. Paying my respects to a good player and a good guy."

But apparently, no one is safe from Montour's barbs.

During the morning skate prior to Game 3, Ekblad wiped out while taking a wide turn. Montour wasn't nearby, but still had to chime in.

"He was looking at it from the other end of the ice and then he has to come in and critique that fall," Maurice said. "He said, 'I knew right when you turned, your strides were too wide.'

"He's got some phenomenal chirps and the timing of them are outstanding, so he's good."

In addition to his sharp sense of humor, Montour has also learned what buttons to push and when to lay off.

"You learn over the years, or through a year, what guys can and cannot take," Montour said. "You know guys, some try to joke around, but obviously might take it a little more serious. You keep it light. I enjoy taking it and giving it back in a sense. It's all fun."

Maurice said Montour's success on the ice and the confidence in his game helps him back up the one-liners and chirps.

"Maybe they do it as a way of prepping for games, coping for the intensity of what's going to come, but it's just funny," Maurice said. "And you have to laugh. And it loosens up the room, and that's a good thing.

"If you have confidence in how hard you're going to work and how hard your team's going to work, then the best thing then after that is you can relax in the moments in between and enjoy the hell out of it.

"He's just funny."

The pending unrestricted free agent had a career season in 2022-23, with 73 points (16 goals, 57 assists) in 80 games. He had 33 points (eight goals, 25 assists), including 17 on the power play (one goal, 16 assists) in 66 games this season.

Though his numbers were down this year, his contributions to the Panthers are immeasurable.

"He's always talking," forward Sam Reinhart said. "That's kind of what we want, his personality shines at this time of the year. When the game's tight, when it's tight-checking, the nerves are high, he's got two things, he's always talking, which settles the game down, and he can fly, which in a tight-checking game is huge to have out there.

"It settles everything down as well. He's a key part."