SIX NATIONS—It was a hero’s welcome for Brandon Montour when he brought the Stanley Cup to his hometown of Ohsweken on July 24, 2024.
“It’s an exciting day; the Stanley Cup here in Six Nations, and Brandon Montour is so inspirational and a positive role model for our children and youth,” said Six Nations Elected Chief Sherri-Lyn Hill during a media conference.
“There’s so much that he shows our youth with his teamwork, his drive in hockey, that just helps children to dream big.”
Montour, 30, played as a defenceman with the Florida Panthers, who went head-to-head against the Edmonton Oilers and cinched the cup win in Game 7. Last year, Montour and the Panthers advanced to the 2023 finals, but were defeated by the Vegas Golden Knights in five games.
According to the National Hockey League’s (NHL) website, Montour “had 33 points (eight goals, 25 assists) during the regular season and 11 points (three goals, eight assists) during the Panthers’ (2024) cup run.”
Montour, who is Mohawk and grew up in Ohsweken, expressed his gratitude for the community’s support, noting that while the day was a celebration of his athletic accomplishments, “today is about everyone else, to share that with.”
When asked by The Haldimand Press when it was that he realized he wanted to go to the NHL, Montour said, “Probably when I put a pair of skates on, to be honest.”
He shared that he had long been a fan of the Detroit Red Wings: “I was just a little kid that was a hockey nerd and knew everything about that team.”
Being a fan and a hockey player from an early age, Montour said he knew “what I wanted to strive for, and I’m grateful to be in this position.”
Montour has put his support behind helping other aspiring athletes in Six Nations of the Grand River Territory; as Councillor Greg Frazer noted, “He was very generous in allowing us to accept donations (in his name) for our minor sports teams” through the community’s watch party. Six Nations Minor Softball, Six Nations Minor Hockey, Six Nations Figure Skating Club, Six Nations Lacrosse Association, Six Nations Girls Field Lacrosse, and Six Nations Boys Field Lacrosse were the beneficiaries.
Frazer said seeing the Stanley Cup in Ohsweken with a homegrown champion would likely be a once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience for him.
“I’m really pleased; I know the community is really pleased,” he said, noting that at the Six Nations Sports and Culture Memorial Centre, “not only do we have a whole group of Elders waiting, but we have our youth.”
Ontario Regional Chief Abram Benedict also brought his congratulations, saying, “What’s happening here today is a great, momentous moment.”
Many community members came out to the celebration. Mark Hill (not the former Six Nations Elected Chief) attended, wearing a shirt that had been autographed by Montour; Hill’s wife had gotten it for him at the fourth annual Henrique Montour Golf Classic, which was held on July 19 at the MontHill Golf and Country Club in Caledonia.
When asked how he felt about Montour’s accomplishment, Hill said it was “beyond words; he’s going to be such an inspiration for the younger generation,” adding that Montour had “put the community on the map – we were already on the map, but this made it bolder.”
On July 1, Montour signed a seven-year, $50 million contract with the Seattle Kraken, the newest NHL team.
