Why do people think Mantha is a net-front guy?

Jul 30, 2005
17,660
4,588
I mean, what is location, really
I see this all over now. People talk about how Mantha is best used in front of the net, since he's not all that skilled. Reddit thinks Vanek has a better shot and it's not even close. I feel like people are confused about what kind of player Mantha is. Including Jeff Blashill.

Am I the only one who thinks Mantha is a very, very purely skilled player? I'm talking hands, stickhandling, passing, shooting, everything. I think Mantha is probably the most purely skilled player on the team. Mantha should not be in front of the net on the PP. It's a waste of his shooting ability and overall skill. Mantha is a sniper, not a net-front role player like Holmstrom or Rasmussen.

What do you think? Is Mantha a plug and I just don't know it?
 
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turkleton85

Registered User
Dec 12, 2017
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i'd like to see him use his shot more often as well, but he is very good in front of the net, too. He had a few fantastic deflections and scored on some rebounds.

His skill level is very high, especially for such a big guy. But in my opinion, he is a little bit sloppy when it comes to puck handling, last season more so than in 2016/2017. I don't know of this doesn't make him a liability when playing on the dots in PP.

Overall, i agree with you. When you watch his goals so far in the NHL, it's also clear that he can score in lots of different ways. His wrister is spectacular if he has space to get it off, he can score 1 on 1 on the goalie, via defelctions or rebounds. I'd be interest in his one time quality. I bet he launches a rocket
 
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Tatar Shots

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Feb 2, 2014
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Just counted, 15 out of his 24 goals were scored as the ‘net front’ forward. Mantha’s size, agility, reach, and quick, accurate shot make him a lethal scorer around the net.
 

lilidk

Registered User
Mar 4, 2008
9,592
3,426
I see this all over now. People talk about how Mantha is best used in front of the net, since he's not all that skilled. Reddit thinks Vanek has a better shot and it's not even close. I feel like people are confused about what kind of player Mantha is. Including Jeff Blashill.

Am I the only one who thinks Mantha is a very, very purely skilled player? I'm talking hands, stickhandling, passing, shooting, everything. I think Mantha is probably the most purely skilled player on the team. Mantha should not be in front of the net on the PP. It's a waste of his shooting ability and overall skill. Mantha is a sniper, not a net-front role player like Holmstrom or Rasmussen.

What do you think? Is Mantha a plug and I just don't know it?
At WJC they tried him at that position . You absolutely write about Clueless Blush.
 

HisNoodliness

The Karate Kid and ASP Kai
Jun 29, 2014
3,652
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Toronto
Blashill and the Wings are determined to use him in a net front role. I'd prefer him as the forward on the half-wall that breaks to the middle to snipe. His shots is very underutilized IMO. However he is still effective in front of the net as well though so hopefully he develops into a player that consistently does both. As things stand right now I'm pretty sure our system gives Mantha little choice besides being a net-front player.
 

CaptainZetterberg40

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Nov 2, 2014
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People may consider him a net front player because for a while they have used him as such. But barring the new addition of Zadina, he is our purest shooter on the team and that was one of the main skills that got him drafted. What solidified my favoritism toward Mantha was the 2017 winter game against the leafs, his snipe for his 1st goal of the game from a bit beyond the right circle is one that no one on our team can make (again save for zadina now). The same highlight videos from Awood40 that show net front goals, also show his ability to shoot the puck and his soft hands. There are dimensions of his offensive game where he needs improvement on such as the consistency of his puck protection (sometimes he looks like a beast and sometimes he looks like bambi) and his physical engagement around the crease. This is why I enjoy the possibility of having Rasmussen on the team because it frees Mantha to do what he does best. In combination with Mantha 's desire to be a great player (documented many times), assuming he is putting in the necessary physical work necessary (needs to focus on his lower body strength) and with the incoming infusion of more skill on the team, Mantha will soon shine.
 

Frk It

Mo Seider Less Problems
Jul 27, 2010
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He’s tremendously talented, always has been.

The thing I don’t get is why people think if you’re a net front guy you’re just sitting in front of the net with your stick parallel to the ice waiting for a puck to tip.

Not everyone has to play the net-front role like Homer did. The way Franzen did it after him was much different, for example. He would phase in and out from net-front and set up behind the net, and there was a lot of moving and passing while playing that net-front role.

Mantha is also a very underrated passer and has huge reach, so he will make things happen around the net like Franzen did.

I would like to see them switch things up throughout the season, and if Rasmussen is up they probably will, but Mantha can make an impact playing a bunch of roles.
 

SirloinUB

Registered User
Aug 20, 2010
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Canada
Why is this being framed as a one or the other? Mantha is a highly skilled player with a lethal shot and that along with his size allows him to thrive as the net front guy.

Look at his first goal at LCA against the wild or Rogers Place (Edmonton) goal for example. Neither are flashy. Jist net front rebounds into a gaping net. His quick hands allowed him to knock a puck in before anyone could knock it away or tie him up.

His goal in Calgary was also a juicy rebound he picked it up at the top of the hashmarks and sniped passed the goalie (smith?). Again his quick hands allowed him to quickly collect the puck and release a wrister.

His second and third goals of the season against Dallas and Vegas he boxed out the defenders, corralled a lose puck and quickly released a perfect spinning shot. Skilled plays.

I could go on breaking down examples but the point is his reach, size and skill make him highly effective in front of the net.

Of course, He can snipe too as we saw in LCA against Calgary and NJD or the outdoor game as @CaptainZetterberg40 points out but that does not diminish from his net front capabilities.
 
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Snuggs

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Jun 24, 2018
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I kind of view Mantha like Franzen or Todd Bertuzzi. Big skilled guys who can create alot of havoc around the net with the size and skills they have for their size but they are capable of playing more expanded roles then a "NET only" guy/scorer. He's got a great shot, hands, and pretty good skating for someone as big as him. I think he's firmily solidified himself at this point as our top RW, and for most teams a top two right winger. Zadina has a shot to be better than him if he plays on the right wing but Mantha should be a guy Wings fans latch onto like Larkin... if we havent already.
 

Shaman464

No u
May 1, 2009
10,212
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Boston, MA
People want the old band back together, even if they have to give a chimp a bowl cut and force it only to respond to Ringo.

Seriously though, I think its because people watched a very good Wings power play centered around getting pucks to the net and wrecking havoc after that. If the power play gets back on track sans a net front guy I am sure people will stop trying to bang any square piece into that round hole.
 
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Henkka

Registered User
Jan 31, 2004
31,077
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Tampere, Finland
I see this all over now. People talk about how Mantha is best used in front of the net, since he's not all that skilled. Reddit thinks Vanek has a better shot and it's not even close. I feel like people are confused about what kind of player Mantha is. Including Jeff Blashill.

Am I the only one who thinks Mantha is a very, very purely skilled player? I'm talking hands, stickhandling, passing, shooting, everything. I think Mantha is probably the most purely skilled player on the team. Mantha should not be in front of the net on the PP. It's a waste of his shooting ability and overall skill. Mantha is a sniper, not a net-front role player like Holmstrom or Rasmussen.

What do you think? Is Mantha a plug and I just don't know it?

That size is a real asset in front of the net.

I saw this years ago...

A) He is so big that he is a weapon against monster goalies.
B) He has a good hand-eye coordination for tip-ins. He can screen and tip like Holmström.
C) Also he has a huge reach, he doesn't have to score from first touch. When rebound happens, his reach is so huge to tap easy goal from a large area.
D) Also, playing in the net-front develops you to think how the net-front guy operates, when you are the shooter/skill on that line. It never hurts to learn new things, what Mantha wasn't doing on his junior days. Then he was a pure finesse player. He will be more complete player when he learns and adds these things to his skill set.

But also, 2017 draft change this a bit, when we got Rasmussen. He could be even better than Mantha on the same job. So in future, I think Rasmussen will be the main net-front, and Mantha goes back to more skill role again, but as a more complete player. I don't see as much skill potential in Rasmussen, as I see in Mantha.

Both will be absolutely great to have, probably in different lines or why not together.

I would build up two units like this:

Rasmussen - XXX - Zadina
Bertuzzi - XXX- Mantha

Where Rasmussen and Bertuzzi do the dirty net-front work and Zadina and Mantha works are skill guys. Then add a good center or winger for zone-entries as a 3rd man and you have two good lines.
 
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Jul 30, 2005
17,660
4,588
I mean, what is location, really
But, to be clear, this thread isn't about what Mantha should be used to do. I distracted us a little bit with the comments about Blashill. I'm really trying to point out that a growing number of fans (perhaps newer ones?) think Mantha is only a net front guy because that's what he does a lot of the time.

Although I think sometimes you get it on broadcasts, too. Sometimes it seems like all Mickey wants to talk about is how big Mantha is.
 

Claypool

Registered User
Jan 12, 2009
13,670
4,352
Scoring goals in front of the net doesn't make you a net-front player. Only being able to score goals in front of the net makes you a net-front player.

Ok...on the power play he's still going to the front of the net. Not using your 6'5, 220 pound winger to screen the goalie is the definition of stupid.
 

Mlotek

Registered User
Feb 28, 2017
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South of US Border
I see Mantha as a sniper, who could be used in front due to his size. Is okay at tipping pucks infront but is no Holmstrom and is visibly afraid when Frk golfs pucks towards the net. Pretty sure he got hurt a couple times blocking Frk's shots.

Actually, Jurco was great in the minors at being a net front guy.
 

Heaton

Moderator
Feb 13, 2004
22,548
925
Auburn Hills
I see Mantha as a sniper, who could be used in front due to his size. Is okay at tipping pucks infront but is no Holmstrom and is visibly afraid when Frk golfs pucks towards the net. Pretty sure he got hurt a couple times blocking Frk's shots.

Actually, Jurco was great in the minors at being a net front guy.

Frk shouldn't be on the PP with his inaccuracies, lord help us if he's the best option again this year.

As for Mantha, I don't think Blashill is creative enough to move him around, so Mantha will stay pigeon holed for a while. Lucky for us he's pretty good in front of the net.
 

Fil Larkmanthanasiou

Registered User
Feb 10, 2018
1,114
603
Frk shouldn't be on the PP with his inaccuracies, lord help us if he's the best option again this year.

As for Mantha, I don't think Blashill is creative enough to move him around, so Mantha will stay pigeon holed for a while. Lucky for us he's pretty good in front of the net.
Do you mean Frk, the guy who scored the 2nd most PP goals on the team?
 

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