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The Vegas Golden Knights get: Forward Anthony Mantha
Washington Capitals get: 2024 second-round pick, 2026 fourth-round pick (also keeps 50 percent of Mantha’s salary)
Sean Gentille: It’s crazy to think, given how the previous few years of Mantha’s career played out, that we’re talking about him as a potentially big deadline addition. But here we are and here are the Golden Knights.
Mantha, after two-plus largely miserable seasons in Washington, spent most of 2022-23 looking like the players the Caps thought they were acquiring at the 2021 deadline. He’s huge and skilled, which he never was. in doubt. He’s also healthy, which hasn’t been the case for a while, and motivated, thanks to the four-year, $5.7 million AAV contract he signed in Detroit that expires in the summer.
The result, after three years in the wild, has been one of the most efficient five-on-five scorers in the league; Mantha’s 1.49 goals per 60 are seventh in the NHL among regular players, and he’s already at the 20-goal mark for the first time since 2020-21. The possession numbers are there too; In fact, the best of Washington’s forwards. Mantha has an expected goals percentage of about 57 and an actual goals percentage just a few steps behind. He’s a player worth adding for any contender looking for some pop at the six, and the Golden Knights qualify as such. Doing so at a cost that still leaves the cap room and assets needed for more help is even more impressive.
Think about it this way: Vegas is one of the teams interested in acquiring Jake Guentzel from the Penguins. If the Golden Knights do nothing else between now and Friday, they can still add Guentzel (if Pittsburgh retains a portion of the salary) and potentially fulfill the Penguins’ request. Nothing has changed. Vegas has its first-round picks in 2024 and 2025 and the same group of prospects it had Tuesday morning. Nothing bad.
Leaving room for more additions, Guentzel or not, is also a particularly wise decision in this case. As productive as Mantha has been, the track record remains spotty. He’s also not a physical player despite his size, but he has enough bigs throughout Las Vegas’ lineup to mitigate that. However, the Golden Knights will not sign him to a contract extension. They are not asking him to be a long-term piece on his front line. They don’t seem to be putting all their eggs in his basket. They’re chasing the Stanley Cup and Mantha gives them something they’ll need to do it.
On the Caps’ part, the deal is… good. Mantha is far from a wart-free player, this season’s heater aside, and there are bigger fish in the rental market pond, but you’d still like to see a 50 percent hold by getting a player someone’s first round. Adequate performance earns an adequate grade.
Golden Knights Grade: B+
Capitalization Grade: c
Shayna Goldman: Mantha’s tenure with the Capitals was largely disappointing after looking like a great option on paper when he was traded from Detroit. But this year, he finally started to revitalize his game to become a very solid middle six forward.
With 34 points in 56 games, he is scoring at the second-best rate of his career, trailing only his career year with the Red Wings in 2019-20. Two things stand out with his scoring: his totals are not inflated by the power play, with 76 percent of his points counted at five-on-five, and his primary contributions to the team’s scoring. In all situations, only six of those 34 points are secondary. Despite not always getting the results, Mantha has had a positive impact on the Capitals’ expected goal creation and suppression over the years at five-on-five, and that continued to be the case this season.
All of that makes him a really solid addition to the Golden Knights. The attacking depth and ability to create three skilled and versatile goal lines was a real strength for Las Vegas on their run to the Stanley Cup last year, something few teams could match. Adding Mantha helps make up for the loss of Reilly Smith, whom Vegas couldn’t afford to keep (or adequately replace) over the summer. Mantha may not kill penalties like Smith did in Las Vegas, but he brings size, strength and two-way utility to the even-strength lineup. The only question will be whether he can maintain his scoring form, considering his high shooting percentage. Maybe having more support in Las Vegas will help him, after playing on a weaker team so far this season.
Mantha seems like a good bet for Las Vegas because he won’t be joining the team that is expected to be The Guy. And the fact that management was able to bring him in with a 50 percent salary hold leaves them room to continue adding and perhaps look for someone who will make more of an impact. Taking all this into account, the acquisition cost is fine. The Golden Knights are focused on their window right now, so draft picks are more valuable to them as trade assets.
The return is a bit more disappointing for the Capitals, considering the potential Mantha has to be a nice low-key addition. Guenztel’s market may slow down the winger market, but there are plenty of teams looking for a boost, so it seems like Washington could have pushed for more, especially since they were willing to retain salary.
Golden Knights Grade: TO-
Capitalization Grade: c
(Photo: Geoff Burke / USA Today)