3 points in his last 9 games. Think he hits 50 points this season?
Mantha, and I'm not trying to bag on him or be negative, visually looks like a pretty lazy player several times per game. I've been trying to be patient and watch closely, and try to differentiate on whether he's just smart/big/long strides, or just decides now and then that skating isn't worth the trouble.
Reminds me of how Franzen played in his later years. Sometimes a puck would just be too far away to be worth his trouble to skate hard for.
Anyone willing to tell me I'm on target or off base?
Mantha, and I'm not trying to bag on him or be negative, visually looks like a pretty lazy player several times per game. I've been trying to be patient and watch closely, and try to differentiate on whether he's just smart/big/long strides, or just decides now and then that skating isn't worth the trouble.
Reminds me of how Franzen played in his later years. Sometimes a puck would just be too far away to be worth his trouble to skate hard for.
Anyone willing to tell me I'm on target or off base?
"He could be so much better if... ." is what has been said about nearly every player ever. Mantha still has three points in his last five games, and 22 in 28 on the season. If the guy had his skill set and went balls to the wall throughout the whole season he'd have been the consensus #1 pick in his draft year, and would be putting up north of a PPG every year in the NHL. But he doesn't, he wasn't, and he won't. If he ends up putting up Franzen-esque numbers, or even better Jeff Carter type numbers, we did very well with that pick.
very well said.
I think we should be appreciating alot more than expecting...
Some people here need have some perspective sometimes.
Here is a list of players we could have selected if we had 1 higher pick in the last 5 drafts:
2013: Kerby Rychel
2014: Julius Honka
2015: thomas Chabot
2016: Keiffer Bellows
2017: Casey Mittelstadt
Nothing is ever for sure.
I try to appreciate what we have.
Dont worry everyone, we will be drafting much better the next few years
You aren't off base, but what took you so long to figure this out? This has been the book on Mantha since he was drafted and the reason he was available where he was in the draft. He has certainly gotten better since he was drafted, but a zebra never really changes its stripes. He will be productive, but will always leave us wanting more.
It's reminiscent of Franzen. You almost want someone to give him a facewash at the start of every game.If I was the coach of the Wings, I'd encourage his teammates to piss him off before the game. Guy needs to play angry.
Personally, i don't find "perspective" very relevant. The only thing that matters to me is how good they are in a vacuum, not how good they are relative to the people drafted around them. Who cares if we got jonathan ericsson last in the draft - sure its cool we got an NHLer last in the draft, but he has no effect on us winning or losing games, he's as irrelevant to the franchise as his mr. irrelevant title.
I could be wrong but its just how i see things.
BLASPHEMER!Now I'm hearing Mantha > AA and when I watch the games I'd take AA any day.
So I was asking some friends about the 2013 draft, and was thinking about that 2 position trade down from 18 to 20th.
I have always wondered who Holland really liked in that draft, and how Mantha was choosen, and just for fun ill write what I think:
I theorize this was the state of mind of Holland and team:
their #1 player they were interested in at 18th was Alexander Wennberg. But he did not fall to 18th.
they then decided to trade back a few positions to pick up a 2nd rounder (58th OA - tyler bertuzzi)
With the 20th pick, they planned to take Mantha, and had he been choosen they were also looking at:
Gauthier, theodore and Hartman.
I theorize
Mueller (18th)
Rychel (19th)
were not on their radar
these were the actual draft positions of those players
Mantha (20th)
Gauthier went (21)
theodore went (26)
and Hartmen went (30)
When I watch Mantha, I see a smart winger. I see a player with talent that doesn't go to the stupid areas.
He isn't the driver, but a fantastic winger.
If I was the coach of the Wings, I'd encourage his teammates to piss him off before the game. Guy needs to play angry.
There's a lot of He's like a harder, bigger but not as smooth version of Bobby Ryan.
Or a softer, not as skilled Corey Perry.
HIGH QUALITY H2O!!!"Hey Tony... WATER SUCKS, GATORADE IS BETTER!"