Confirmed with Link: Caps trade for Mantha for Vrana, Panik, 2021 1st, 22 2nd

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IafrateOvie34

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May 14, 2009
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Seriously when I saw the ESPN ticker that Gartner was traded, I had to sit down. It crushed me.

I felt that way when Iafrate got traded for Juneau on the 94 TDL. I was a college freshman finishing up second semester classes and couldn't wait to tume in to ESPN2 for trades just to hear Bill Pidto announcement. I sat stunned in the living room chair. It took me a few days to accept the trade and realize it was for the better in terms of forward offense production and potential of Juneau based on his rookie year with Boston in the Bonanza Line. Poor Al had a great first round with Boston then ended up with nagging knee injuries :(. Additionally, we ended up picking up Reekie as a defensive depth player and lost May. I like May as a player and wasn't keen on Reekie, however he worked out for us.
 

Hen Kolland

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Feb 22, 2018
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So what, if anything, got Mantha to play harder during his Wings tenure? Did he put forth more of an effort in bigger games / close games? Was he more energized with a particular type of linemate?

He is a player that thrives off of confidence and getting a fire lit under his ass. Not a fire that a coach can light though; there was discussion between Mantha and Blashill a few years ago that got them more aligned on his development. Essentially Mantha said if a coach just starts screaming at him, (big paraphrasing here, these are my words) he gets a little "deer in the headlights" tendency.

So when his game is on and he builds confidence he thinks he can do anything he wants, and he's one of the few people in the sport who can literally do anything he wants. His size/strength is enough to play in tight and getting to the net, his skating is strong enough to go around people or through people, his vision is high end, his shot is top 10 in the league when it's at its best.

When the confidence isn't high, he needs to find an element of aggression and assertiveness. If someone gets him with a high hit or a cross check/slash, he starts to get aggressive physically and through his effort level. I don't know how you control this aspect of his game. Blashill challenged him to be aggressive off the drop and get himself into games physically early, had him taking boxing lessons in the offseason to try to harness the aggression, and for a while it worked because he posted two strong season, including this past one where he flirted with a point per game rate and looked like he was ready to enter the upper echelon of wingers.

Since suffering the punctured lung on a Muzzin slewfoot during a fight, the aggression hasn't really been there, so it's really at this point just how do you build his confidence? I'd say game one for Washington is a good start. Playing with better talent and structure at every position, and having some other options to take heat off of him...I believe he will thrive. I've said that anything less than 30 goals next year is a disappointing season for Anthony, and I think he has a legit shot to flirt with 40 if everything clicks.
 

artilector

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Jan 11, 2006
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Appreciate the responses from Wings fans. It's not exactly a crime to point out the flaws in a couple of flawed players like Vrana & Mantha, lol.

Re: Vrana, that could be a pretty good strategy for the Wings -- just let him run wild with tons of ice-time, 1st line, PP -- everything for him to really break out offensively, which he is capable of. Then at the very least you'll have the option to sell high and let somebody else deal with his flaws, if you find that he doesn't quite fit your rebuild.
 

Hen Kolland

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Feb 22, 2018
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Appreciate the responses from Wings fans. It's not exactly a crime to point out the flaws in a couple of flawed players like Vrana & Mantha, lol.

Re: Vrana, that could be a pretty good strategy for the Wings -- just let him run wild with tons of ice-time, 1st line, PP -- everything for him to really break out offensively, which he is capable of. Then at the very least you'll have the option to sell high and let somebody else deal with his flaws, if you find that he doesn't quite fit your rebuild.

The Vrana thing is interesting based on the comments from Yzerman at two separate times. Essentially he said that everyone wants to get draft picks, prospects, and young players to help the rebuild, but it's also important to position the current team to still be semi-competitive on a nightly basis, and this trade gave them both of those things. That Vrana would be able to step into the role that Mantha left vacant because they are similar to a certain point.

The fact that he refers to Vrana as a current fit that can fill Mantha's void and help keep the current team relevant, and a completely separate list (picks, prospects, young NHLers) are key to the rebuild has left things open to interpretation. I tend to share the same thoughts as Gniwder; Vrana will be a short term fit.

I can see him getting a shorter deal, say 2 years, and then moved at the deadline either next year or the year after. This isn't dissimilar to how he has managed Robby Fabbri. Brought in via trade, he flashed well, got a 2 year deal that expires as a UFA. I expect that Fabbri may end up a deadline asset next year, and I think that Vrana could follow the same track. Especially if the Wings don't get some glimpse of turning the corner.
 
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Silky mitts

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Mar 9, 2004
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I’ve seen the Caps come up small in such a high % of big games the last 40 years when I see motivation questions they look like nothing to me because the playoffs is all that matters. I’ve never thought of Vrana as lazy or unmotivated but he put up bagels the last 2 playoffs when I’m sure he was highly motivated.
 
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kicksavedave

I'm just here for the memes and gifs.
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I look forward to more Zapruder-like analysis for Mantha on-ice GAs. :)

4IATtc.gif
 

AussieCapsFan

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Apr 30, 2017
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I'm still not quite clear what Vrana said in his Detroit presser that was so objectionable and justified a stabbing from the fanbase!

Stabbing is bad!

I watched the presser and I thought Vrana sounded miserable. He tried to act excited about playing for Detroit but it was pretty hollow in my opinion.
Got the feeling he really didn't expect to be traded and was still in shock.
 

Mijatovic

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Jan 23, 2014
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I think Manthas going to kill it with the Caps. Needs someone else to get him the puck and drive the play. Noone really like that at the Red Wings. Plenty over at the Caps. He will be ripping 30/40G for years.
 

AlexBrovechkin8

At least there was 2018.
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Understood, but "It's not like you ever played floor hockey with Mike Gartner", will forever be my response to all posts moving forward.
All I'm/the other mods are asking for is that we discuss the topic and stop with the personal stuff. Not directing this at you personally but nobody needs or wants to be told they're less of a fan than someone else or that their opinion isn't as relevant and that's how threads get derailed. All are welcome and free to talk about this trade so long as they follow forum rules but guest posters certainly receive less benefit of the doubt since we don't know if they're here to troll or talk hockey.
 

BiPolar Caps

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Feb 9, 2010
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I'm viewing Vrana as a candle with a short wick. It will burn bright at first, but that will be short lived.

What shouldn't be ignored in all of this is coaching. Vrana has had 3 NHL coaches while with the Capitals, an AHL coach at Hershey and a Czech National coach and all had similar experiences with him, where they all had to sit him for extended periods of time, healthy scratch him or limit his minutes. That should be quite telling.

Mantha has pretty much had Jeff Blashill as his coach during his entire professional career, whether at Detroit or with Grand Rapids in the AHL. This is really the first time Mantha is being exposed to a different coach and different system. It'll take him some time to adjust, but the combination of the new coach and teammates (some of who are future HOFers) who know how to win and what it takes will pay dividends in Mantha's performance.
 

HecticGlow

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Mar 14, 2016
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upload_2021-4-16_17-52-48.jpeg




We sent Detroit a highly talented but flawed player. Even with the first going the other way, we were never going to get a perfect player in return. Happy for both guys that they’re off to good starts, and hope they continue to have success.
 
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crab

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Jan 26, 2019
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LOL, you can tell me whatever you want. You think you own the board or something?

Nothing I said in that post was against forums rules, you can keep going on and I'll just keep laughing.

Question: Are you the same Wings/Caps fan that met up with Ted and GMGM before?
 

kicksavedave

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Question: Are you the same Wings/Caps fan that met up with Ted and GMGM before?
Uh oh?! The plot is thickening.
Altho the individual you are referring to has several spelling and grammatical tells in posts....thus far no lights have lit for me on that end.

Looking back, I don't recall any RedWings fans at that meeting, but great googly moogly, that whole thing was just surreal at this point. A bunch of us "if we knew the game" folks trying to tell GMGM how to build his roster. No wonder he left halfway through it.
 
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