Housley on Montour: 'He plays the game we want to play'

TORONTO - They'll have to wait one more day to add him to the lineup, but members of the Buffalo Sabres expressed excitement over the addition of defenseman Brandon Montour prior to their game in Toronto on Monday.
The Sabres acquired Montour from the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday in exchange for defenseman Brendan Guhle and a 2019 first-round puck. Montour will meet the team in Toronto but won't make his franchise debut until the Sabres visit the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night, according to coach Phil Housley.
Housley said he expects Montour to fit well into the Sabres' system, which utilizes a five-man cycle in the offensive zone and calls for defensemen to join the rush. The 24 year old led Anaheim defensemen with 57 points (14+43) and 286 shots in 142 games since the start of last season.

"He plays the game the way we want to play," Housley said. "He's a highly skilled, puck moving defenseman that can join the rush, and that's the way we want to play. It's going to be a great fit for our team."
Read more about Montour and his offensive abilities here.
The Sabres have only faced Montour four times over the past two seasons, but that short sample was enough for the defenseman to make an impression on his new teammates.
"He's a really good skater," Sabres captain Jack Eichel said. "Obviously, he's really good with the puck. We only play him a few times a year but he's a guy who plays fast, he can skate with it, he makes a lot of big plays. It's a big addition for our team. We're excited to have him."
"I'm excited," Kyle Okposo added. "Good, young right-handed defenseman. I think he can help our team. We're definitely excited to have him. I know he's a competitive guy from what I hear."
The team also announced Montour will become the first player in Sabres history to wear No. 62. He wore No. 26 in Anaheim, which belongs to fellow defenseman Rasmus Dahlin.