Confirmed Trade: [WSH/DET] Anthony Mantha for Jakub Vrana, Richard Panik, 2021 1st, and 2022 2nd

[CraigsList]

Sounds like a win-win trade that occurred. Both players playing great on their respective teams.

 

[LudwigVonKarlsson]

As a Caps fan there's no doubt that the Caps gave up a lot in this trade and if you are going on quantity rather than quality, then the Red Wings are the clear winners at this moment. That's the short term or immediate view of the trade. It may take some time to see the long term impact of the trade.

Case in point.

The same was said about the Caps (George McPhee's) trade with the Predators back in April '13 when they sent Forsberg to the Preds for Erat. Clearly at the time the Preds were the winners of the trade. However for the Caps the rippling impact of that trade along with the overall team's performance resulted in the firing of Caps GM George McPhee and HC Adam Oates after the following season in 2014. The Capitals subsequently hired Brian MacLellan as General Manager and Barry Trotz, the former Predators HC. After the 2015 season, MacLellan realized that the lost of Forsberg left the Capitals in need of a top 6 RW, so he traded Troy Brouwer + to the Blues for TJ Oshie. To say Oshie has been a great addition to the Capitals would be an understatement. Oshie played a significant role in the Caps winning the Stanley Cup in 2018. So though the Caps definitely lost the short term portion of the Forsberg trade, the long term side of the trade indirectly led to the Capitals winning a Stanley Cup and the last time I looked neither the Predators or Forsberg have won a Stanley Cup.

Washington didn't win the cup because they traded Forsberg away, but they might've won even sooner than they did had they kept him. Nashville did make the finals with Forsberg, but they had literally 0 center depth to match up with Crosby/Malkin/Bonino.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

vrana will amaze you and then disapear for 10 games. Im sure mantha does it too (did not follow him before) but vrana will frustrate you. So much talent.

That is Mantha exactly too.. I've found mantha one of the most frustrating players to watch... I always think he will become an absolute beast and will show glimpses of it but then dissapears for weeks at a time.

 

[BiPolar Caps]

Washington didn't win the cup because they traded Forsberg away, but they might've won even sooner than they did had they kept him. Nashville did make the finals with Forsberg, but they had literally 0 center depth to match up with Crosby/Malkin/Bonino.

Capitals winning the cup as with any SC Champion has many factors and contributors. For the Capitals it was as much who was behind the bench (Barry Trotz) as well as who was on the ice to include TJ Oshie.

The Forsberg trade had the domino effect or cascade on the Capitals organization. Within the year the termination of GM George McPhee and Head Coach Adam Oates and the subsequent hiring of McLellan as GM and Trotz as Coach. The Forsberg trade created a void for the Capitals in their top six at RW which McLellan eventually filled with TJ Oshie. So did the Caps trade of Forsberg lead directly to the Capitals winning the Stanley Cup, no. But it certainly contributed to it.

Forsberg's game is completely different from Oshie's. Oshie brings sandpaper to his game and remember on a few occasions doing a reverse hit on a player during the playoffs in 2018. Oshie's role in that playoffs was huge and doubt Forsberg would of had the same impact in that way as Oshie did.

 

[Caps8112]

Washington didn't win the cup because they traded Forsberg away, but they might've won even sooner than they did had they kept him. Nashville did make the finals with Forsberg, but they had literally 0 center depth to match up with Crosby/Malkin/Bonino.

They absolutely won the cup because of that trade. It was unintended but if they don't trade forsberg gmgm possibly doesn't leave. If he doesn't leave there is no world where the caps sign Niskanen and orpik because the caps never signed expensive free agents. That is enough right there for them not to win the cup. Gmgm would also never have traded for oshie. He would never make the big moves which is funny because when he tried and failed with the erat trade it seemed to have the opposite effect then what you would think as he has since made big time trades in Vegas and done ok

 

[WingsMJN2965]

I think Berggren ends up pushing Bertuzzi down the lineup eventually. The kid is just so talented that I can't imagine him in a 3rd line role past his rookie season.

I think as long as Bertuzzi's producing he's gonna have a top 6 spot.

He's a completely different player than anybody on our current roster or in our system.

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

Sounds like a win-win trade that occurred. Both players playing great on their respective teams.

Red Wings will win even more if the players they draft turn out to be very good.

 

[Lou Sassole]

They absolutely won the cup because of that trade. It was unintended but if they don't trade forsberg gmgm possibly doesn't leave. If he doesn't leave there is no world where the caps sign Niskanen and orpik because the caps never signed expensive free agents. That is enough right there for them not to win the cup. Gmgm would also never have traded for oshie. He would never make the big moves which is funny because when he tried and failed with the erat trade it seemed to have the opposite effect then what you would think as he has since made big time trades in Vegas and done ok

McClellan is also the guy who told Ted to shut up and get off the internet, he and Trotz completely changed the attitude of things

 

[DInTheB]

Vrana finished up with 8 + 3 in 11 games with Detroit. 19 goals on the season, and remarkably none came on the PP.

 

[SirClintonPortis]

Washington didn't win the cup because they traded Forsberg away, but they might've won even sooner than they did had they kept him. Nashville did make the finals with Forsberg, but they had literally 0 center depth to match up with Crosby/Malkin/Bonino.

Washington would have never won with George McPhee.

McPhee's strength is his ability to build a resilient and stacked prospect pool. But he cannot scout other pro players. His trade deadlines are usually disasters or underwhelming.

The Subban trade was the main reason Nashville finally broke through. Subban had a more deadly playoff stick than his predecessor Weber and showed up in the later rounds.

 

[txpd]

Washington didn't win the cup because they traded Forsberg away, but they might've won even sooner than they did had they kept him. Nashville did make the finals with Forsberg, but they had literally 0 center depth to match up with Crosby/Malkin/Bonino.

Lets be honest. Forsberg would have never been more than Burakovsky or Vrana has he remained with the Capitals. What McPhee got for Forsberg was a disaster, that he was traded wasnt. They prioritized Tom Wilson for many reasons. Meanwhile Forsberg was getting prime ice time and pp1 time in a pp set up that he fit well into. In Washington, like Vrana, he doesn't play on the power play much less be a featured player on it.

People that assume that the Forsberg that Nashville has is the Forsberg the Capitals would have had if they had kept him are just wrong.

 

[txpd]

McPhee's strength is his ability to build a resilient and stacked prospect pool. But he cannot scout other pro players. His trade deadlines are usually disasters or underwhelming..

Ross Mahoney runs the draft. McPhee acquires and moves draft picks but Mahoney calls the shots on who they pick and who they scout. The pro scouting department that McPhee had is the same pro scouting department that they have now.

Trade deadlines are always a crap shoot. MacLellan hasnt had great success. Shattenkirk was a disaster. The success was Kempny who nobody but pro scouting knew anything about. The Caps best TDL acquisition in the Ovechkin era was McPhee getting Fedorov and Huet.

 

[DatDude44]

Lets be honest. Forsberg would have never been more than Burakovsky or Vrana has he remained with the Capitals. What McPhee got for Forsberg was a disaster, that he was traded wasnt. They prioritized Tom Wilson for many reasons. Meanwhile Forsberg was getting prime ice time and pp1 time in a pp set up that he fit well into. In Washington, like Vrana, he doesn't play on the power play much less be a featured player on it.

People that assume that the Forsberg that Nashville has is the Forsberg the Capitals would have had if they had kept him are just wrong.

You can't prove that lol.... is it possible? absolutely, but he could've exploded playing on a 2nd line with kuzy and they may have never traded for oshie had they had a young ELC forsberg rather than Erat. Who knows what could've been etc... He wouldn't have the exact same opportunity/ice time with wsh that he got in NSH..... but that doesn't mean he wouldn't have produced a ton and become a 60+ point force like he currently is playing with those higher quality teammates where he's not completely relied upon to drive the offense.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

Caps still have Lapierre, McMichael, Protas, Alexeyev and Fehervary in their system while getting Mantha. Sure it was an overpayment at the DL but hardly a trade that sinks this team. Mantha on the Caps will be a very good player for a long time. Vrana will become a goal scoring star player on the Wings when the rebuild is finished and all is said and done. I see this as a win-win.

I was just thinking I know nothing about these guys so to me their names are meaningless. Just more prospects who likely won't reach their ceiling anytime soon. (Lemme tell ya. As a nyr fan I know all about prospects not even approaching expectations!)

I wonder how many read that, went,"oh that sounds good" yet similarly know nothing about those guys

 

[txpd]

You can't prove that lol.... is it possible? absolutely, but he could've exploded playing on a 2nd line with kuzy and they may have never traded for oshie had they had a young ELC forsberg rather than Erat. Who knows what could've been etc... He wouldn't have the exact same opportunity/ice time with wsh that he got in NSH..... but that doesn't mean he wouldn't have produced a ton and become a 60+ point force like he currently is playing with those higher quality teammates where he's not completely relied upon to drive the offense.

His best season was 2015-16. 64pts. 23pp points with the vast majority power play assists. None of that happens in Washington. His role would have been what Burakovsky's was on that Caps team(President's Trophy)

In Nashville Forsberg was the leading scorer, 1st line featured, power play featured player. In Washington he would have been a 3rd line support player. Burakovsky played 6 mins less per game than Forsberg did and scored nearly the same number of even strenth points.

Might he have exploded and changed everything? Maybe but the odds are against it. He had a much better chance to become a star player on a team that needed a star player.

 

[deca guard]

VRANA :
- elite wheels , and at top speed in like two strides = a very dangerous threat that dmen fear
- elite wrister
- extremely driven and confident . wants the puck at all times and is totally possesed to score goals
- guessing caps traded him because hes hard to coach = just wants to score goals and hell with your system .
the type player you cant force to fit in a team mold . my guess anyway , because talent wise this guy is a monster

 

[SuperScript29]

VRANA :
- elite wheels , and at top speed in like two strides = a very dangerous threat that dmen fear
- elite wrister
- extremely driven and confident . wants the puck at all times and is totally possesed to score goals
- guessing caps traded him because hes hard to coach = just wants to score goals and hell with your system .
the type player you cant force to fit in a team mold . my guess anyway , because talent wise this guy is a monster

He has been amazing, and while at their very best I feel like Mantha is a better player, you'd be lucky to see that kind of best for a good 10-15 games in the season. Vrana hands down has been very consistent with his play. I'm very happy with this.

 

[ijuka]

Yep. As predicted, big win for Detroit Red Wings.

As I said, Vrana could even be better than Mantha, and he certainly has performed better for his team thus far - while being younger. Especially impressive considering how much weaker his supporting cast has been. Add in the picks and this is a straight robbery.

 

[Roomba With a Bauer]

I see Vrana as a guy who, if you tell him "You are our star" will go out and be a PPG player. He's massively talented, but it seems like he has an ego. His defensive play is even pretty solid, but again, if you aren't letting him shine it seems like he will sulk and sink. Detroit needs a guy who wants to be the star and has the talent to back it up.

I've never been able to get a read on Mantha. He is so inconsistent and vanishes for long stretches of time. He has a good 200 foot game when is on, but it's hard to figure out what he wants. The fact that he went so cold at the end of the season while Washington was in a race for the division is concerning.

I hope he gets it figured out or he's going to waste what should have been a 400+ goal career.

I hate to say this, Caps fans, but I hope you go out in the first round so those picks get even better.

 

[RedHawkDown]

Even happier with this trade now than I was on the day of. Vrana has been absolutely lights out, easily our best player since the trade. He’s also been very consistent and I haven’t noticed any effort issues at all. Much more than we could say about mantha. Go Stevie.

 

[nbwingsfan]

Capitals winning the cup as with any SC Champion has many factors and contributors. For the Capitals it was as much who was behind the bench (Barry Trotz) as well as who was on the ice to include TJ Oshie.

The Forsberg trade had the domino effect or cascade on the Capitals organization. Within the year the termination of GM George McPhee and Head Coach Adam Oates and the subsequent hiring of McLellan as GM and Trotz as Coach. The Forsberg trade created a void for the Capitals in their top six at RW which McLellan eventually filled with TJ Oshie. So did the Caps trade of Forsberg lead directly to the Capitals winning the Stanley Cup, no. But it certainly contributed to it.

Forsberg's game is completely different from Oshie's. Oshie brings sandpaper to his game and remember on a few occasions doing a reverse hit on a player during the playoffs in 2018. Oshie's role in that playoffs was huge and doubt Forsberg would of had the same impact in that way as Oshie did.

This is such an incredibly weird spin job.

Dramatically losing a trade does not help you win a Cup Maybe your GM and coach get fired AND you still have Forsberg?

 

[txpd]

This is such an incredibly weird spin job.

Dramatically losing a trade does not help you win a Cup Maybe your GM and coach get fired AND you still have Forsberg?

It might have worked out that way. The plain fact is that the role Forsberg would have played is the rookie role that Burakovsky and then Vrana played. First line/pp1/featured player ice time and roles were not available and not forth coming.

 

[TheKrebsCycle]

Could be the rare win win type trade . The pics tip it in Wings favor but an extended playoff run/Mantha success could change the narrative quickly. Well done by Yzerman to extract value regardless.

 

[nbwingsfan]

It might have worked out that way. The plain fact is that the role Forsberg would have played is the rookie role that Burakovsky and then Vrana played. First line/pp1/featured player ice time and roles were not available and not forth coming.

And the plain fact is you have no idea how he would have faired in that role and he absolutely would have been better than Erat.

Trying to justify the trade and say it was actually a win because you won tje Cup like 4 years later is ridiculous.

 

[CamPopplestone]

VRANA :
- elite wheels , and at top speed in like two strides = a very dangerous threat that dmen fear
- elite wrister
- extremely driven and confident . wants the puck at all times and is totally possesed to score goals
- guessing caps traded him because hes hard to coach = just wants to score goals and hell with your system .
the type player you cant force to fit in a team mold . my guess anyway , because talent wise this guy is a monster

I still think the Caps did the deal both to shed Panik's salary cap hit, and get the cost certainty of Mantha since his deal goes longer than Vrana