Player Discussion Anthony Mantha

[innitfam]

Hey Caps fans! Canucks fan coming in peace. I'm a little intrigued by a potential Boeser for Mantha swap, primarily for cap reasons, but I don't know a ton about the player. I see he's listed as 6'5 and 200+ pounds, does he use his size? How is his skating? Shot? Defensive acumen?

It looks like he is roughly a 50 point guy over his career so far based on PPG/82.

I'm basically looking for a scouting report on him, based on what you the fans have observed. Looks like missed a big chunk of last year, does he seem injury prone?

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[CapitalsCupReality]

This should go well….

 

[notDkristich]

Hey Caps fans! Canucks fan coming in peace. I'm a little intrigued by a potential Boeser for Mantha swap, primarily for cap reasons, but I don't know a ton about the player. I see he's listed as 6'5 and 200+ pounds, does he use his size? How is his skating? Shot? Defensive acumen?

It looks like he is roughly a 50 point guy over his career so far based on PPG/82.

I'm basically looking for a scouting report on him, based on what you the fans have observed. Looks like missed a big chunk of last year, does he seem injury prone?

Plays soft as butter. He's more interested in chewing his mouth piece than playing physical hockey. Skating is good. Doesn't matter...he's disinterested in playing most of the game.

He reminds me of Alexander Semin without the play making and scoring.

 

[Brian23]

If Mantha was 5'11 and like 190 no one would really have an issue with him. But his size, people have expectations on how it should be use.

He's a soft posession guy who's being hilariously mis-deployed by the coaching staff and still doing all right in point production at 5v5. He's not as good, or as useful, as a healthy Vrana was but he's still 100% a top 6 winger in this league and will probably end up a 50 or 60 point kind of guy if he's given actual power play time.

He's a good Robin, he's just not Batman.

 

[Jags]

I'm basically looking for a scouting report on him, based on what you the fans have observed. Looks like missed a big chunk of last year, does he seem injury prone?

Not injury prone. It was the kind of shoulder injury that could happen to anyone and he seems no worse for wear now.

@Brian23 nailed the two major issues with him here. One, he's being deployed poorly. Two, the assumption that someone tall should automatically be a hitting machine is kinda silly. You can use size to punish guys, and you can use it for leverage, reach, and steadiness. He's NOT a punisher at all. He's not a shrinking violet either, though. That part of his game is average.

But the other stuff he's pretty great at. He's rangy and hard to knock off the puck, doesn't shy away from contact but doesn't seek it out either because he has an impressive offensive IQ, prefers space to create.

Playing on the third line with a center that can't help leverage his talents is a waste.

TL;DR: If we swapped Mantha for Boeser straight up, Vancouver would definitely be getting the better end of the deal. There's an enigmatic quality to both of them right now, so at the very least Mantha's lower cap hit and shorter contract make him way more attractive if he shits the bed. We'd be stuck with Boeser either way, and we would rather that be YOUR problem.

 

[zappa4ever]

Has a very good shot and one-timer
has good stick skills and can protect puck when he wants using his big body
Can throw hits when he wants
"When he wants" is the operative phrase b/c for a big player he doesn't use his body nearly as much as you'd expect
Frustrating player b/c he's got the tools just seemingly not the motivation to be the best
And like said above, he could be better used/deployed to produce more
Maybe he'll finally go all-in to be the best he can be, but wouldn't bet on it

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

If Mantha was 5'11 and like 190 no one would really have an issue with him. But his size, people have expectations on how it should be use.

He's a soft posession guy who's being hilariously mis-deployed by the coaching staff and still doing all right in point production at 5v5. He's not as good, or as useful, as a healthy Vrana was but he's still 100% a top 6 winger in this league and will probably end up a 50 or 60 point kind of guy if he's given actual power play time.

He's a good Robin, he's just not Batman.

He’s a better all around player than Vrana but not as dynamic. Vrana could take two strides and unlock the defense. This is still a really good description of him though.

If the coaching staff used him properly people would have a markedly different opinion of him. I think it might actually be Lavi’s worst blemish since he’s been here. That, and not firing Forsythe and Murray.

 

[Hivemind]

One of the few ways that GMBM could make the Vrana trade worse is trading Mantha for Brock Boeser.

 

[Brian23]

He’s a better all around player than Vrana but not as dynamic. Vrana could take two strides and unlock the defense. This is still a really good description of him though.

If the coaching staff used him properly people would have a markedly different opinion of him. I think it might actually be Lavi’s worst blemish since he’s been here. That, and not firing Forsythe and Murray.

Yeah, I meant to add into the comparion was that the difference was kinda marginal. That Mantha was all around better but, as you said, Vrana had that dynaminism that most don't. It's something this team sorely misses and them trading it plus a 1st (or 2nd, whatever you wanna act like was the + in that trade) for Mantha makes it sting.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Maybe Tony saw this thread today lol…

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Yeah, I meant to add into the comparion was that the difference was kinda marginal. That Mantha was all around better but, as you said, Vrana had that dynaminism that most don't. It's something this team sorely misses and them trading it plus a 1st (or 2nd, whatever you wanna act like was the + in that trade) for Mantha makes it sting.

It was definitely + a 2nd because of the cost certainty for Mantha for 3 more years. That mattered quite a bit.

They basically sold that 1st for Panik’s remaining 2+ years and $5.5+ mil in real cash salary (and the accompanying regained cap space).

 

[Roshi]

It was definitely + a 2nd because of the cost certainty for Mantha for 3 more years. That mattered quite a bit.

They basically sold that 1st for Panik’s remaining 2+ years and $5.5+ mil in real cash salary (and the accompanying regained cap space).

While Mantha has had his share of unfortunate injuries and has only clocked 80 games (20+26) for Caps, Vrana has only played 39 games (22+10) for the Wings and noone can say when he gets back.

Could it be there was some sort of red flag in the medical reports already visible for the acquiring team that also added some extra pick value in the negotiations.? Besides the fact that it was well know Vrana wasnt happy in Washington anymore.

Obviously pure speculation.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Hey Caps fans! Canucks fan coming in peace. I'm a little intrigued by a potential Boeser for Mantha swap, primarily for cap reasons, but I don't know a ton about the player. I see he's listed as 6'5 and 200+ pounds, does he use his size? How is his skating? Shot? Defensive acumen?

It looks like he is roughly a 50 point guy over his career so far based on PPG/82.

I'm basically looking for a scouting report on him, based on what you the fans have observed. Looks like missed a big chunk of last year, does he seem injury prone?

I would pay Elliotte Friedman to stop talking about an Anthony Mantha / Brock Boeser trade

Dear Elliotte Friedman, Hello. How are you? I'm good. Almost done Christmas shopping, so that's nice. Anyway, I write to ask you…

russianmachineneverbreaks.com

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

It was definitely + a 2nd because of the cost certainty for Mantha for 3 more years. That mattered quite a bit.


While Mantha has had his share of unfortunate injuries and has only clocked 80 games (20+26) for Caps, Vrana has only played 39 games (22+10) for the Wings and noone can say when he gets back.

Could it be there was some sort of red flag in the medical reports already visible for the acquiring team that also added some extra pick value in the negotiations.? Besides the fact that it was well know Vrana wasnt happy in Washington anymore.

Obviously pure speculation.

I would wager the Caps had some info on Jake personally, but more likely it was mostly the upcoming cost UNcertainty around Vrana back then as he now has a new deal, coupled with the type of player they knew him to be….and they probably thought they would get equal or better production with Mantha in a better team environment. Pure speculation.

 

[John Price]

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Newlywed heading into a contract year with a new coach. No excuses for Mantha not to have a big season.

 

[barriers]

I thought they would've bought him out this summer. Still a few days left I suppose

 

[kicksavedave]

Bunch of reports out that the Caps have shopped him and got very little in the way of offers back. Make or break year for him... big NHL contract, or playing in Switzerland next year. Step up Anthony, your future kids are counting on you.

 

[Capitals40]

I thought they would've bought him out this summer. Still a few days left I suppose

I would not blame the Caps if they bought out Mantha. I prefer they don't. Caps aren't going to win anything this season whether they buy him out or not. I don't want him on the books next season for a cap hit.

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Newlywed heading into a contract year with a new coach. No excuses for Mantha not to have a big season.

Hope hes training on his honey moon

 

[EroCaps]

This guy is the epitome of dud.

All the physical tools, zero desire.

He’s like Alex Semin without the production.

Hard pass.

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

Y’all can keep trying to spin keeping him as a positive but we all know he is going to disappoint again.

 

[StrikingDistance]

Whatever. Bash all you want. One fact can not be disputed:

He's the best Caps player on the team who's name rhymes with Bantha..

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

Whatever. Bash all you want. One fact can not be disputed:

He's the best Caps player on the team who's name rhymes with Bantha..

View attachment 721777

I mean…you have me there.

 

[kicksavedave]

Whatever. Bash all you want. One fact can not be disputed:

He's the best Caps player on the team who's name rhymes with Bantha..

View attachment 721777

There are a handful of players who I am disappointed when they get traded, purely because of the joy when they score goals.

and of course

This is pretty much the only reason I come here