Rumor: Mantha to EDM for RNH?

[jkutswings]

Here's a post on DSN:

RUMOR: Red Wings’ Steve Yzerman and Oilers’ Ken Holland may be working on huge trade

As Ken Holland takes over the reigns in Edmonton the rumors have begun about who the GM is targeting to provide some scoring punch for the wing of Connor McDavid. One name that keeps surfacing is Anthony Mantha from Holland’s old Red Wings and sources close to the Oilers have mentioned perhaps a name like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins would be in play.

Mantha has been a man on a mission at the World Championships and is one of the best pure young snipers in the league. He’s a couple years younger than RNH and makes less than $4,000,000. He would provide a touch of cap relief to the Oilers if they indeed move him for RNH, not only this year, but long-term as well.

Nugent-Hopkins has two more years at $6,000,000 and is an unrestricted free agent once his contract is up, to then expect a raise to close to $8,000,000, which could be too rich for the Oilers.Would make a ton of sense for the club to think about moving RNH with term left on his deal to maximize his value on the trade market.

Click to read more...

 

[Hen Kolland]

I’d be legitimately upset by this. It means that just as Mantha is figuring it out, we’re punting on him. For a second line center, which realistically is setting up the scene perfectly for Yzerman to draft Podkolzin over all of the quality centers available in the draft.

 

[Henkka]

Hmm, Interesting.

You rarely get good centers traded for wingers.

 

[Henkka]

I’d be legitimately upset by this. It means that just as Mantha is figuring it out, we’re punting on him. For a second line center, which realistically is setting up the scene perfectly for Yzerman to draft Podkolzin over all of the quality centers available in the draft.

Let's "be patient" and build through trades and free agency.

 

[Llamamoto]

That doesn't look great for the Oilers. Nuge just put up 70 points centering Alex Chiasson and Tobias Rieder.

Would you guys do Mantha + 6 for Nuge + 8, maybe with a small add from our end?

 

[Hen Kolland]

Let's "be patient" and build through trades and free agency.

Everyone wants to preach trusting Yzerman, and I would love to, but he’s not getting a free pass for making moves that I would identify as being a mistake. I don’t care what path he decides to take, whether he’s patient, or if that was all just misleading us like you are suggesting.

 

[Henkka]

He did make 56 trades on 8 years as Tampa GM.

7 per season. How patient was that.

Imo, that's just overall building. Drafting, trading, finding cheap gems from outside leagues and going hard to free agency, as long as there's cap space before salary raises for own kid core will happen.

Turning every stone is the way to go. The Yzerman way.

 

[oilers2k10]

I would expect a 2nd round pick and or a mid level prospect as well

 

[raymond23]

Please no.

 

[Shadoz19z]

I think this trade would make little sense for a rebuilding team like Detroit. RNH isn't eligible for an extension which mean they risk losing him after two years. I'd stick with Mantha for now.

 

[Larkin2AA]

I’d be legitimately upset by this. It means that just as Mantha is figuring it out, we’re punting on him. For a second line center, which realistically is setting up the scene perfectly for Yzerman to draft Podkolzin over all of the quality centers available in the draft.

I would rather keep Mantha and gamble on him continuing his great play from the end of last year + the WC and draft a young center than make this trade. Sure, if RNH put up another 70 point season as a 2nd line center I would be happy, however, he doesn't fix the long term needs of this team. In about 3/4 years we will be looking for another Center because of RNH age.

 

[Winger98]

eh. Guess it depends on if you think he's a 70 point pivot going forward. I have my doubts about that and I've never been happy that RNH hasn't been able to better his ability at the draw.

By the same token, lining up next to Draisaitl or McDavid every night is probably going to help inflate Mantha's numbers a bit. Putting up 35 goals seems a lot more likely there than here. So, if we're just going by numbers, I think it's going to be hard to look at a deal around these two and feel we got the better deal.

Oil fans won't happy, but I don't think there's a big add for either team for such a deal. Someone suggested swapping 1sts, maybe, but I wouldn't do it. I think it's likely their production is that far off going forward, one's younger with more contract control going forward while the other plays the more premium position but is paid more and is closer to just walking. I think the majority of this deal isn't about expected production but about cap flexibility for the Oil and getting another center for the Wings.

There isn't a big age gap between these two guys, so it's not like the Wings are getting significantly older or the Oilers younger. There's about a year and a half between them, RNH being a 93 bday and Mantha born in 94. If we're going to talk about Mantha still becoming a first line wing putting up 40 goals or whatever, it's just as fair to look at RNH and think he could do the 70 point thing.

This move would say a lot about how the Wings view Athanasiou. His camp has long maintained than they view him as a center. I think their insistence played no small part in AA getting that look over the last twenty games (and, to be fair, I thought he looked really promising there for the first time in his career). The Wings make a big move like this to bring in RNH, they are telling Athanasiou that he's going to play the wing. Maybe he's okay with that. I think it's likely that he's not. I'd expect him to be moved at some point within a year then.

I think it balances the Wings forward group better, giving us a clear #2 behind Larkin, and making room for a bunch of the wings coming up through the system. It also alleviates any need to worry about going after a center in free agency or waiting another four years for someone like Dach to mature. There's a lot to like here for the Wings.

 

[Marky9er]

No but maybe sign RNH as UFA in a couple years.

 

[Hen Kolland]

I would rather keep Mantha and gamble on him continuing his great play from the end of last year + the WC and draft a young center than make this trade. Sure, if RNH put up another 70 point season as a 2nd line center I would be happy, however, he doesn't fix the long term needs of this team. In about 3/4 years we will be looking for another Center because of RNH age.

Not super concerned about RNH’s age, he’s only just turned 26. He’s like a year and a half and older than Mantha. In 4 years he’d have just turned 30.

The way I see things at this point is Mantha still has the chance to be an elite winger if he reaches his potential. I don’t see RNH as a potential game changer anymore. His upside is that of Larkin? I don’t know, a one for one type of trade wouldn’t work for me when it comes to Mantha because his value looks like it’s ready to take off.

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

How reliable is this source? Oilers fans seem okay with this deal for the most part. The biggest issue is that Mantha is a winger and we lose the ability to put McDavid and Draisaitl on the same line.

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

Awful for Detroit

 

[izlez]

RNH isn't eligible for an extension which mean they risk losing him after two years.

Is this a thing? How is someone not eligible signing a contract extension?

 

[TCNorthstars]

Is this a thing? How is someone not eligible signing a contract extension?

I think he means an immediate extension. I believe they would have to wait a while to sign something because he has 2 years left on his contract.

 

[Winger98]

Is this a thing? How is someone not eligible signing a contract extension?

I think he means the Wings can't keep his rights with an qualifying offer. RNH has the ability to go straight to UFA if he wants.

 

[Hen Kolland]

How reliable is this source? Oilers fans seem okay with this deal for the most part. The biggest issue is that Mantha is a winger and we lose the ability to put McDavid and Draisaitl on the same line.

Heaven forbid two top 20 players in the NHL have to drive their own lines...the fact that Oilers fans are identifying that as the biggest problem tells me all I need to know from a value perspective and who the trade favors.

 

[waltdetroit]

How reliable is this source? Oilers fans seem okay with this deal for the most part. The biggest issue is that Mantha is a winger and we lose the ability to put McDavid and Draisaitl on the same line.

Drysdale in the article linked in the 1st post is quoting another rumor site "NHL Trade Rumors" who wonders if " Is RNH the name Holland has circled to upgrade his club?" It does make some sense but there isn't anything factual in this rumor currently. Just for fun

 

[Killerjas]

Please no

 

[RRhoads]

It would be a stupid move by Detroit. We would not be competetive before he reaches UFA status. We will have a little cap space this year. Better to use that cap space to relieve a competitor of a bad one year contract, like Tampa's Callahan.

 

[SCD]

Too early in the rebuild for RNH. Move Mantha for picks and/or prospects.

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

Nope we potentially have 8 to 9 years worth of control on Mantha, Depending on the length of his next contract. And only possibly 2 years of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins not worth it unless Holland adds a mighty nice sweetener there.