The Washington Capitals announced tonight that they’ve made former 25-goal scorer Anthony Mantha a healthy scratch for their game against the Calgary Flames. The forward has struggled with the Capitals since coming over from the Detroit Red Wings in an ill-fated 2021 trade for Jakub Vrana and Richard Panik.
Less than a decade ago, the 29-year-old looked like he would blossom into a perennial 30-goal threat as he posted 25 goals in 67 games during the 2018-19 season. He continued his torrid pace in 2019-20 posting 38 points in 43 games during an injury-marred campaign.
The following offseason the Red Wings signed Mantha to a four-year extension with a $5.7MM cap hit that began to look like a misfire almost immediately. Mantha returned from injury and was never able to get back to the level of play he enjoyed from 2017-2019 as he registered just 11 goals and 10 assists in 42 games before he was dealt to Washington at the NHL trade deadline.
After the move to D.C. Mantha posted slightly improved offensive numbers with 13 goals and 18 assists in his first 51 games as a member of the Capitals. However, last season his point totals fell off a cliff as he had just 11 goals and 27 points in 67 games.
Mantha’s struggles led to speculation that he could be bought out this past June, however, the Capitals elected to keep the forward for the final season of his contract and put him on the trade block to see if they could find him a change of scenery. Nothing materialized on the trade front, which isn’t shocking given how difficult it was to move salary this summer.
The healthy scratch of Mantha early in the season is interesting for several reasons. It shows that the Capitals’ new head coach Spencer Carbery isn’t afraid to sit veterans to ice the best lineup possible, but it also serves as a reminder that Mantha is unlikely to remain in Washington beyond this season. Teams usually like to spend ten games assessing what they have before they decide on a direction for the season but given what has transpired with him over the last year in Washington it appears the Capitals have already made up their mind on the direction to take with Mantha’s future.
Big strong with good hands, but maybe the laziest player in the NHL.
This is good for my boy Phillips. Been watching him for years progress in the Flames system. Tonight shows that he just needed a chance. Of course it has to be against the Flames lol. He HAS to be the smaller player in the league?
“Less than a decade ago, the 29-year-old looked like he would blossom into a perennial 30-goal threat as he posted 25 goals in 67 games during the 2018-19 season. He continued his torrid pace in 2019-20 posting 38 points in 43 games”
Or…you know, saying 4 years ago
Nah in juniors the guy looked like he was gonna be stud but even then was very hit and miss
Don’t forget the 1st and 2nd rounders the Caps also sent to Detroit in that deal…because I sure did (sigh).
And the winner of the Mantha-Vrana trade is…St. Louis?
Eh, if we made a list of guys who racked up a couple quality seasons early, and then never did a whole lot again, we’d still be tallying this time Thursday. Got to think that the likes of Gary Leeman and Rob Brown are saying “Hold my beer.”
There will be no Gary Leeman slander in the timeline! He was good with Toronto, until they dealt him to Calgary, where he was… not so good. Rob Brown was only good on Lemieux’s line, so I will accept that slander.
@fightcitymayor & @Nha Trang – Rob Brown was great, both for a 49G-66A career year, but more so, for crosschecking Sean Avery’s head off.
I concede that crosschecking Sean Avery in the head is a deed worthy of commemoration.
@Nha Trang – It just has to bring a big smile to anybody’s face. :)
I wonder if Mantha became afraid to get hurt again after getting hurt once, and played at less than 100% effort, and in the NHL, playing even at 99% versus 100% is the difference between your max potential (Mantha scoring 30+ goals and 60 points) and what Mantha is. If only Mantha skated with Phillips’effort.
I don’t get the Caps broadcast feed but I would imagine Laughlin has/will use “waterbug” to describe Phillips at least once a game.
@Thornton Mellon – You can hear John, Kenny & Ben on Caps Radio 24/7. They’re solid, and with no homerism. Matthew Phillips is now free to be himself, the best Matthew Phillips he can be, without the burden of Darryl. He was very classy in the postgame media scrum with respectful condolences to the Snow family in Calgary.
OVI FINISHED, MANTHA DEAD ,BOY THNG ARE LOOKING GREAT FOR GHE CAPS.