Contracts for Athanasiou, Mantha & Bertuzzi

[Winger98]

I agree with this... or that’s the hope at least.

Guess my question would be do you think this can happen under Blashill? Or might it take another coach to unlock the best of Mantha?

I think it can happen under Blash because Mantha is self-aware enough to go to him and ask questions and take it upon himself to improve. He did it a couple of seasons ago, and I thought it was a notable positive that the kid went up and said something rather than sulking away from the team or running to the media.

 

[GBFP]

I'd bet AA gets traded. He's shown to be a pure mercenary (nothing wrong with that) and will likely try all the leverage tools in a players tool box. Yzerman played hardball against Drouin, but I think he just moves AA before it gets to AA holding out well into the season and lowering his trade value.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

For what it is worth and I would say take it with a grain of salt, but I have heard AA reversed a lot of those relationship issues last year organizationally. He also has a pretty clean start with Yzerman, we shall see. I prefer moving him to Mantha if one of the two goes, but I don't think there is a big trade him rush at this point unless he reverts to the guy we knew before last season.

Though if one of those guys has started conversations with a number that is way out of whack, I think Yzerman will try to move on. Since we have absolutely nothing to go on in terms of negotiations it is hard to say.

 

[Gniwder]

I'd bet AA gets traded. He's shown to be a pure mercenary (nothing wrong with that) and will likely try all the leverage tools in a players tool box. Yzerman played hardball against Drouin, but I think he just moves AA before it gets to AA holding out well into the season and lowering his trade value.

He's not gonna hold out because he's arbitration eligible. Worst case scenario is that he plays his last 2 RFA years with whatever salary the arbitrator decides.

Note: This is why Trouba got traded.

 

[Pavels Dog]

I agree with this... or that’s the hope at least.

Guess my question would be do you think this can happen under Blashill? Or might it take another coach to unlock the best of Mantha?

I've come around on Blashill a bit. We're seeing some signs that the youngsters are developing right. The key is to bring in the on-ice personnel and PP coach to get a top 20 and eventually top 10 PP. In my eyes Mantha could/should be a player that puts up huge numbers on the man advantage.

 

[Claypool]

I'd bet AA gets traded. He's shown to be a pure mercenary (nothing wrong with that) and will likely try all the leverage tools in a players tool box.

How has he shown to be a pure mercenary?

 

[Gniwder]

I've come around on Blashill a bit. We're seeing some signs that the youngsters are developing right. The key is to bring in the on-ice personnel and PP coach to get a top 20 and eventually top 10 PP. In my eyes Mantha could/should be a player that puts up huge numbers on the man advantage.

I thought he team looked good in the last 10 games considering they had an AHL D and 4th line. We'll see if Blash learned something or if he goes back to throwing Abby, Helm, and LGD on the top 2 lines. If he does, then I'm done with him.

PP definitely needs work, entries are horrible. The only thing that worked was to dump and chase and utilize speed. Hronek is the one who should be raking up some points, he's got a decent slapper and he's right handed. I also think AA's slapper is underrated, he needs to learn how to get open instead of chasing the puck.

 

[Henkka]

Anthony Mantha has now 35 points on his last 21 games.

NHL season-ending, 8 games, 8+7 = 15 points
WHC Canada, 9 games, 7+7 = 14 points
NHL-preseason, 3 games, 4+0 = 4 points
New NHL season, 1 game, 1+2 = 3 points
---------------------------------
Total, 21 games, 20 goals, 15 assists = 35 points.

Sign him now. Never look back.

Same for Bertuzzi.

 

[Claypool]

Anthony Mantha has now 35 points on his last 21 games.

NHL season-ending, 8 games, 8+7 = 15 points
WHC Canada, 9 games, 7+7 = 14 points
NHL-preseason, 3 games, 4+0 = 4 points
New NHL season, 1 game, 1+2 = 3 points
---------------------------------
Total, 21 games, 20 goals, 15 assists = 35 points.

Sign him now. Never look back.

Same for Bertuzzi.

Mantha is going to (correctly) wait until the end of the season. Same with Bertuzzi.

 

[Gniwder]

I'd bet AA gets traded. He's shown to be a pure mercenary (nothing wrong with that) and will likely try all the leverage tools in a players tool box. Yzerman played hardball against Drouin, but I think he just moves AA before it gets to AA holding out well into the season and lowering his trade value.

I bet he doesn't get traded. It's obviously a one line team without AA. Can't expect Forehand Luke to score the GWG every game.

 

[ManwithNoIdentity]

I’m thinking Mantha is going to be the hardest to sign especially if he has as big of a year as he’s looking to have

 

[Gniwder]

I’m thinking Mantha is going to be the hardest to sign especially if he has as big of a year as he’s looking to have

They're all going get big raises, good thing Yzerman didn't use up his cap space.

I'm scared to project what they're going to get, it depends on if they can keep this going. Started off right where they left off last season...

 

[Dotter]

If you had to guess, would those 3 combine for more than $15 million per?

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

If you had to guess, would those 3 combine for more than $15 million per?

Easily.

I'd say $16.5-18.5 combined depending on term & how they perform this year.

 

[Electric Eric]

Any chance you think they might play the 'Nobody makes more than Larkin' card? Thats assuming Larkin ends up with the C.

Give Mantha essentially the same contract as Larkin. Tweak the caphit and term for Bert & AA's contract.

 

[Dotter]

Easily.

I'd say $16.5-18.5 combined depending on term & how they perform this year.

Yeah I could see 5.5 for each of Bert and AA, and 6.5 for Mantha = 17.5

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

Any chance you think they might play the 'Nobody makes more than Larkin' card? Thats assuming Larkin ends up with the C.

Give Mantha essentially the same contract as Larkin. Tweak the caphit and term for Bert & AA's contract.

I think that's plausible & I certainly hope that's the route SY takes. AA has had 1 pretty good season (2nd line production) , Mantha & Bert both paced for a pretty good season (also 2nd line production); since the premium is on goals scored, they should/likely will wait til the season is over before negotiating. This is why I wanted Kenny to lock up Mantha & Bert with 5-7 yr contracts instead (but who knows if they refused). It'll likely cost us an additional $2-5M combined now, which isn't terrible, but only b/c we have so many vets about to drop off & replaced by ELC's. 2020-21 come on down!

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

Yeah I could see 5.5 for each of Bert and AA, and 6.5 for Mantha = 17.5

AA will likely get a bit more than Bert.

Ideally: Mantha $6x7yrs, Bert $4.9x7yrs, AA $5.5x6yrs. I'd be comfortable with the 5-7 yr range as long as they all produce really well this year & improve defensively.

=$16.4M total (probably on the low end/best case scenario)

 

[Dotter]

AA will likely get a bit more than Bert.

Ideally: Mantha $6x7yrs, Bert $4.9x7yrs, AA $5.5x6yrs. I'd be comfortable with the 5-7 yr range as long as they all produce really well this year & improve defensively.

=$16.4M total (probably on the low end/best case scenario)

You could be right about Bert vs AA. But I just don't see the value in AA. While he's fun, exciting, electric, take you out of your seat straight line skater. He's a straight line cherry. If I was Bert, I'd feel cheated if AA got more.

To me, AA should be considered a non-core trade chip if /when Yzerman can swindle another GM. AA for one of Chabot or Wernski? Yzerman is savvy enough to pull that off, right?

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

You could be right about Bert vs AA. But I just don't see the value in AA. While he's fun, exciting, electric, take you out of your seat straight line skater. He's a straight line cherry. If I was Bert, I'd feel cheated if AA got more.

To me, AA should be considered a non-core trade chip if /when Yzerman can swindle another GM. AA for one of Chabot or Wernski? Yzerman is savvy enough to pull that off, right?

It's funny you suggest Werenski, I thought the exact same thing a few days ago. We'd likely have to add, not sure how much though. I look forward to SY the trademaster, like Erat for Forsberg level trades!

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

It's funny you suggest Werenski, I thought the exact same thing a few days ago. We'd likely have to add, not sure how much though. I look forward to SY the trademaster, like Erat for Forsberg level trades!

I mean, if you look for that kind of trade... you'll be disappointed. That trade or the Hall-Larsson trade are not the standard by which you should expect your GM to do business. Those types of trades involve one GM who makes a GIGANTIC mistake, overreacting to something "bad" that the player did or they have external pressure to make some move.

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

You could be right about Bert vs AA. But I just don't see the value in AA. While he's fun, exciting, electric, take you out of your seat straight line skater. He's a straight line cherry. If I was Bert, I'd feel cheated if AA got more.

To me, AA should be considered a non-core trade chip if /when Yzerman can swindle another GM. AA for one of Chabot or Wernski? Yzerman is savvy enough to pull that off, right?

Yeah, that's not happening.

You want a core player for a guy who is quite clearly not a core player. Want a Forsberg for Erat deal? You've got to take a shot on a young kid. Literally no chance on Chabot or Werenski unless you throw some massive package together. They're too proven now.

Want to go balls deep and try for Boqvist, Bouchard, or Dobson before they explode? Maybe you could swing one of them if their GM got desperate enough. Probably not Bouchard because Holland doesn't do desperate. Maybe Dobson if NYI go belly up and their ownership freaks out.

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

I mean, if you look for that kind of trade... you'll be disappointed. That trade or the Hall-Larsson trade are not the standard by which you should expect your GM to do business. Those types of trades involve one GM who makes a GIGANTIC mistake, overreacting to something "bad" that the player did or they have external pressure to make some move.

I think it could be a basis for a trade, but as stated, we'd have to add.

 

[deca guard]

-mantha gonna get 8x8 or walks after a bridge
-werenski being made to look better than he is by partner

 

[Dotter]

-mantha gonna get 8x8 or walks after a bridge
-werenski being made to look better than he is by partner

You'd still trade AA straight across for Werenski.