Observations:

March 2016 – Montour has arguably been one of the most impressive Ducks prospects this season. The young defenseman has a whopping 42 points in the 53 games he has appeared in for San Diego this season. The skill level he has shown on both ends of the ice makes him one of the most valuable prospects in the Ducks organization. The amount of depth on the Anaheim back-end has made it difficult for Montour to slide into their lineup this year, but should be considered an impact player for the future. Bryan Puffer

February 2016 – It has been a strong showing up to this point in the season for Montour, who currently leads the San Diego Gulls in points with 38. His impressive numbers show a steady growth in the offensive side of his game. If anything happens to the back-end of the Ducks, Montour looks to be a good fit at sliding into an NHL role. Bryan Puffer

January 2016 – Montour leads the San Diego Gulls in scoring. His 30 points are also good for 14th overall in the AHL, and second among defenseman. The majority of his points come by way of assists; the 24 apples he's tallied are tied for second in the AHL, and first among defenseman. This should not come as too big of a surprise; the Ontario native has been a point-per-game player at every level he's played in. His extraordinary hockey IQ, and smooth skating abilities have clearly translated to the professional ranks. The Ducks got a steal with the 55th overall pick in the 2014 NHL draft. Bryan Puffer

December 2015 – Few would have guessed that 21 games into the San Diego Gulls' (AHL) season, Brandon Montour, the 21-year-old defenseman, would be leading the team in points.   His five goals and 17 assists (22 PTS) give him a five point gap from the nearest scoring leader (Chris Mueller, 17PTS).  Although he may have been overlooked in the 2014 NHL Draft, Montour is certainly making a splash in the American Hockey League. His speed and offensive upside are already starting to cause quite the buzz 100-miles up the highway in Anaheim.  Yet, the high-risk, high-reward aspects of bringing a prospect to the National Hockey League too early could back the idea of the Ducks letting him grow in San Diego, at least for this season. Bryan Puffer

March 2015 – Brandon Montour is a speedy defenseman that oozes skill and hockey IQ. He was passed over twice in the draft before being selected by the Ducks in 2014 (55^th overall). Montour led all USHL defenseman in scoring with 62 points in 60 games in 2013-2014 and was named Player of the Year and Defenseman of the Year. In the fall of 2014, Montour was ruled ineligible to start the season with UMass in the NCAA. He spent the first half of the season acting as a mentor to the younger Waterloo Black Hawks before making the jump to the NCAA earlier in the year. He has continued his impressive point per game pace while acclimatizing to the NCAA game. Since being drafted, he has added around 20 pounds to his frame to be able to play against players in the pro levels. Keep tabs on Montour, he has impressive upside and if he keeps up his amazing play, he’ll no longer be a prospect sleeper. Kevin Won

Fantasy Outlook: B+

An offensive defenseman who can be utilized in all situations and will make everyone around him better.

Footage:

Brandon Montour Player/Defenseman of the Year USHL Montage – 2013-2014:

{youtube}GsCwkN0Kq7U{/youtube}

Buy the latest Fantasy Prospects Report here.

{source}

{/source}