Prospect Info: Grand Rapids Griffins 2014/15 Part I

[Claypool]

To the GR faithful who watch all the games, has Mantha turned a corner playing with AA? Seems like he's been doing better in the last handful of games.

He always looked better playing with AA. They work well together.

 

[SimplySolace]

To the GR faithful who watch all the games, has Mantha turned a corner playing with AA? Seems like he's been doing better in the last handful of games.

Thought he was looking better just before AA came back, but I don't watch every game.

 

[JPE123]

I've seen Mantha in 5 games so far and I'd say he looks like a very good prospect. I think he may have been overhyped so some people seem to be let down a little. He looks strong and I expect by this time next year he is really playing well.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

To the GR faithful who watch all the games, has Mantha turned a corner playing with AA? Seems like he's been doing better in the last handful of games.

I thought he was looking better before AA came back. But the biggest thing is that AA and Mantha seem to have chemistry in a way that, say, Zengerle and Mantha never did. For whatever reason, Mantha is doing a lot of playmaking this year, and AA does well with that. and Mantha likes to try tricky backhand passes when he's off-balance and stuff like that, so he needs a smart player to be able to read that sort of play. So far, AA is handling that well.

I think the AA/Mantha connection also comes from the fact that AA does a good job of using his speed to force defenses to commit, one way or another, and that lets Mantha use his hockey sense and reach to exploit the gaps they leave. It's also a big reason why I think Larkin/Mantha could be just as good, if not better.

But as a note, Mantha is playing differently than you'd expect. I really expected a guy who'd shoot a ton, and he hasn't played that way. He's been more of a playmaker and a stickhandler. Maybe he's trying to show that he's got more to his game than his shot... and if so, it's certainly working. But still, I want to see that bomb from the right point on the PP once in a while. Hopefully Blash gets him shooting the puck more often.

 

[Frk It]

I thought he was looking better before AA came back. But the biggest thing is that AA and Mantha seem to have chemistry in a way that, say, Zengerle and Mantha never did. For whatever reason, Mantha is doing a lot of playmaking this year, and AA does well with that. and Mantha likes to try tricky backhand passes when he's off-balance and stuff like that, so he needs a smart player to be able to read that sort of play. So far, AA is handling that well

Very interesting, considering the biggest knock on AA is, and has been, his hockey sense.

Im wondering if that is still warranted, or just lingering from his earlier scouting reports.

Don't watch GR enough to say, but he sure produces a lot for a guy with a "low hockey IQ"

 

[SoupNazi]

Continue in Part II.