Friedman: Anthony Mantha wants to stay a Red Wing

[TCNorthstars]

I imagine the Red Wings have Alexis Lafreniere, Luke Hughes, Shane Wright and more on their team by 2024-25.

That is wishful thinking. The lottery gods won’t bless them like that. I like where your head is at though.

 

[BStinson]

Tell me the red wings are going to be contenders in the next five years with a straight face

Can your magic 8 ball predict lottery numbers too?

 

[Remember2004]

Your team is a mess too, yet we have our first rounder this year. Hope you're enjoying Karlsson!

I''ve watched my team win 4 Cups, you?

Awesome! For a team that has been around for 80 years? vs 30 years...

 

[PAZ]

Mantha might be the most underrated player in the National Hockey League. He might be more underrated than ROR before he won the cup with STL.

Not even close.

ROR was considered an elite 3rd liner on the Avs and a 1B/2A center on the Sabres. Mantha is easily considered a 1st line winger.

 

[deca guard]

Stevie Y will have the Wings turned around in 3 years.

larkin , mantha , bertuzzi , hronek , zadina , 2020 1st , fabbri , seider (striking me as an #1 elite level allstar FRANCHISE dman) , veleno , rasmussen , smith , mcissac , tuomisto , mastro , johansen , bergren , petrazulli . 2021/22 back in playoffs . 2023/24 they become somebody . 2024/25 become challengers .

 

[13to40]

Will wait for him to sign a contract before buying a jersey so I don’t end up like all those Islander fans with Tavares jerseys...

 

[VoluntaryDom]

mantha is a pretty awesome player

 

[Ezekial]

Awesome! For a team that has been around for 80 years? vs 30 years...

What are you trying to say? In the past 30 years we've won 4 cups.

 

[HisNoodliness]

Honestly even if this is more lip-service than anything, it makes me feel better to read. Mantha is arguably our best player and my favorite Wing atm. I'd love for him to stick around and I honestly would have expected a more lukewarm answer.

 

[njx9]

What are you trying to say? In the past 30 years we've won 4 cups.

Clearly the preceding 20-25 years of moribund hopelessness built the team that won those Cups. Or something.

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

Not even close.

ROR was considered an elite 3rd liner on the Avs and a 1B/2A center on the Sabres. Mantha is easily considered a 1st line winger.

Gotta respectfully & vehemently disagree here. ROR averaged 58.5 pts/82gp his last 4 seasons in COL. 194 pts/272gp= .71ppg x 82. 58.5 pts on a non-playoff team is great 2C production. Avs missed playoffs in (3 of those 4 seasons) & 4 of his 6 total years. Now his 1st & 2nd seasons, sure elite 3rd liner. By 2011-12, posting 55pts/82gp was a very good young player, leading his team in pts which included Stastny/Landeskog/Duchene/Hejduk.

If you disagree, name 1 or more 3rd liners who score 58+ pts... maybe on the '80's Oilers? That list is very small, if it exists at all.

 

[PAZ]

Gotta respectfully & vehemently disagree here. ROR averaged 58.5 pts/82gp his last 4 seasons in COL. 194 pts/272gp= .71ppg x 82. 58.5 pts on a non-playoff team is great 2C production. Avs missed playoffs in (3 of those 4 seasons) & 4 of his 6 total years. Now his 1st & 2nd seasons, sure elite 3rd liner. By 2011-12, posting 55pts/82gp was a very good young player, leading his team in pts which included Stastny/Landeskog/Duchene/Hejduk.

If you disagree, name 1 or more 3rd liners who score 58+ pts... maybe on the '80's Oilers? That list is very small, if it exists at all.

I'm not saying that's what I thought, or the Avs fans thought. We knew he was an elite #2C/borderline #1C during his time with the Avs.

This is what other fans thought, feel free to dig up previous ROR trade threads when he was on the Avs. Plenty of them referred to him as a #3C.

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

I'm not saying that's what I thought, or the Avs fans thought. We knew he was an elite #2C/borderline #1C during his time with the Avs.

This is what other fans thought, feel free to dig up previous ROR trade threads when he was on the Avs. Plenty of them referred to him as a #3C.

Cool, I believe you.

 

[Ryuji Yamazaki]

No he doesn’t

 

[Ulysses31]

whats fair for mantha? 7x7?

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

whats fair for mantha? 7x7?

That's what i'm thinking for Mantha 7 x 7

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

$6x6. Has yet to stay healthy & crack 50pts in even 1 season, much less 60-70+.

 

[RedMenace]

Too bad for him, but maybe his waiting will pay off when he’s 30

Let's ask Joe Thornton about that, I'm sure he has some valuable insight to share.

 

[Arthur Morgan]

some people just straight up just don't like to relocate. Im not sure if he has kids or a wife living in Detroit. If I had kids I doubt I'd be too interested in moving and taking them away from their friends.

 

[ThankGord]

$6x6. Has yet to stay healthy & crack 50pts in even 1 season, much less 60-70+.

This is what I'm thinking, with Larkin's contract as the comparison. I'd easily do 7x7 though.

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

This is what I'm thinking, with Larkin's contract as the comparison. I'd easily do 7x7 though.

$6x6 is more than fair for his resume. Besides, he wants to stay in Detroit, has great chemistry w/Larks & Bert, O6 team, Red Bird, LCA, gets to hang with Mickey Redmond (that's worth a couple 100 grand itself probably). If the Cap drops as TSN stated, we're primed to pounce on cap-strapped & near cap teams. We could really clean up if all goes well. For example, if NSH or TBL have to jettison RyJo / Tyler Johnson, we could fit either for minimal cost. NSH could retain $2m & retool with their core since RyJo doesn't seem to be getting it done there.

 

[TT1]

lol, he wants to play with Lafreniere

 

[lomekian]

I'm not saying that's what I thought, or the Avs fans thought. We knew he was an elite #2C/borderline #1C during his time with the Avs.

This is what other fans thought, feel free to dig up previous ROR trade threads when he was on the Avs. Plenty of them referred to him as a #3C.

I think all that proves is that some people are stupid. ROR was so clearly a top draw 2 C with room to improve. I was slightly surprised the return for him wasn't better, but it worked out ok for the AVs

 

[lomekian]

If Mantha can stop breaking himself with freak fighting injuries, he's a proper first line winger. The wings are at rock bottom, now but will only get better - their vets are their worst players and the bad contracts are mostly ending or nearing an end, and even if the likes of Zadina, Rasmussen and others don't hit the hoped for level when drafted, they are already better than about half the current roster.

And I guess knowing a top 4 pick and likely another year or two of lottery picks are on the way makes things look more attractive long term, and especially as Mantha is good mates with Larkin & Bertuzzi, whom he has great on ice chemistry with

 

[Claypool]

The Red Wings are one of the best organizations with one of the best owners in the entire league. They also have one of the best facilities and arena. Once the team is competitive again top players will want to play there again.