The Detroit Red Wings had high, high hopes for Anthony Mantha when they drafted the huge, scoring winger 20th overall in 2013. In 2018-19, Mantha scored 25 goals in 67 games for the Wings for a 0.37 goals per game mark that, so far, is the best of his career.
Mantha even earned an extension with the Wings in 2020 and, together with Dylan Larkin, was still seen as a key leading piece of an emerging roster. But just four months after signing that contract — a four-year deal with a $5.7 million AAV — he was gone.
At the 2021 trade deadline, and just under the wire, Detroit sent Mantha to Washington for Jakub Vrana, Richard Panik, plus first- and second- round picks. But in Washington, Mantha wasn’t able to break out any more in his late-20s and battled injuries throughout his time. And now, as the Caps explore selling opportunities to open up flexibility to use in the summer market and accumulate draft picks and prospect to reshape their roster with, Mantha once again became a trade deadline asset.
This time it’s the Vegas Golden Knights picking up his services and they may be striking at just the right time as Mantha has 20 goals in 56 games and is on pace to surpass his career high of 26 in a season. With Mark Stone on the LTIR for the rest of the regular season, Vegas suddenly had over $7 million of AAV space to utilize at this deadline and the Mantha trade may just be the first move they make. The Golden Knights surrendered a 2024 second-rounder and 2026 fourth-rounder for Mantha and for the Capitals to retain 50 per cent of his expiring contract.
That means Mantha will only have $2.85 million of his AAV count against Vegas’ cap…and that the Golden Knights still have roughly $4.4 million to work with between now and Friday. They also have all their first-round picks in hand. It’s possible Vegas will still be able to pick up any of the most impactful players available this deadline and, really, who’s doubting their ability to make something big happen? Speculation persists that they’ll be after another forward.
With Vancouver already making a few moves and rumoured to be in on more, and now Vegas getting active, eyes begin to turn to Los Angeles and Edmonton in a tough Pacific Division. The Oilers, at least, are believed to be in the market for a scoring winger such as Mantha. Now the defending champions have added him to their deep mix, with room for more.
With more on what Mantha will bring to Vegas’ championship roster, we turn to our scout Jason Bukala.
SCOUT’S ANALYSIS
I have to be transparent analyzing this trade. Anthony Mantha has been teasing me as a scout, going back to his days in the QMJHL playing in Val-D’or.
Mantha is a massive human being (6-foot-5, 234 pounds), but he can’t be described as a power forward. He’s only been credited with 31 hits and 21 shot blocks this season in Washington.
What Mantha does add is a goal-scoring element for Vegas. He’s a shooter more than a playmaker. He’s capable of extending plays in the hard areas. He’s also difficult to defend, with his long reach and stature, when shielding the puck from opponents.
Mantha will have to play with more all-around detail in Vegas than he did in either Detroit or Washington. He averaged 14 minutes of ice time with the Capitals, all of which came at even strength and the power play. He’s generally deployed as a third-line forward at even strength.
Here are three clips that highlight what Vegas is getting in Mantha:
In the first clip, against Arizona, Mantha doesn’t do anything special. But his frame and reach create enough of a distraction and the Coyotes defender ends up turning the puck over when he can’t negotiate his outlet pass over Mantha’s stick. It wasn’t the smartest play by the defenceman, but for the sake of this example it shows how Mantha can create a distraction.
The rest of the clip speaks for itself. Mantha finishes the play by scoring on a one-timer from distance.
The second clip is also a simple example of how Mantha is capable of fronting the shooter in his zone and blocking shots. He doesn’t do it all the time, but when he does it’s easy to see how difficult it is to direct pucks on net when he’s in position.
The last clip is an example of what frustrates me at times with Mantha’s determination. He’s in position to assist with killing the play at the top of his zone. But he pulls up, doesn’t finish his check or get his stick in a position to deflect the pass, resulting in the puck moving to a high-danger area in the middle of the ice before it lands in the back of his net.
If Vegas can get more consistent buy-in from Mantha, he could add an extra layer of offence heading towards playoffs.
He’s already scored 20 goals this year.
He’s capable of more.
Hello, my name is Jack Sparrow. I'm a 50 year old self-employed Pirate from the Caribbean.
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