LW Anthony Mantha (2013, 20th, DET) II

[Dotter]

Watched the game tonight because of Willy and also paid close attention to Mantha. Don't get the hype TBH. Should be a solid middle six NHLer, but nothing special.

Watched Willie tonight and didn't notice him. He's still a defensive liability just like I remember him being. Just don't get the hype TBH.

Mantha atleast is noticeable and does good things even when he's not scoring goals.

 

[Dotter]

Obviously I was referring to Nylander. Did Mantha have a concussion recently as well? Serious question... I don't follow Grand Rapids.

Just had a broken tibia which slowed down his development. That why I didnt understand your comment.

 

[KGL]

Watched Willie tonight and didn't notice him. He's still a defensive liability just like I remember him being. Just don't get the hype TBH.

Mantha atleast is noticeable and does good things even when he's not scoring goals.

Anyway, on topic. Mantha had a couple nice plays in the first period, didn't notice him at all in the second, barely noticed him in the third before he got that lucky goal. AA seemed to be the best player for the GRG's tonight IMO.

 

[HitoftheMillennium*]

Was it Mantha's first game back btw?

 

[Dotter]

Anyway, on topic. Mantha had a couple nice plays in the first period, didn't notice him at all in the second, barely noticed him in the third before he got that lucky goal. AA seemed to be the best player for the GRG's tonight IMO.

AA is a motor and likely Darren Helm's replacement. While AA was the best player on the ice for both teams, he's also an AHL vet.

Mantha deserves a lucky goal because he's had about 30 unlucky non-points that he does deserve. Tongights slick pass for example was bobbled by his teammate. Should have been an easy point for him. Had some rocket shots that got through to the goalie. Mantha is a winger and needs a better centerman to feed him the puck.

I didn't notice anyone on the blue team other than the goalie.

 

[Dotter]

Nope. Broken tibia was awhile ago. Still being used as an excuse though.

No it shouldn't be. Did you see Mantha's 2-on-1 breakaway? Kid is fast!

6'5" 220ish ibs and skates like that... That's pretty darn amazing to say the least.

 

[KGL]

AA is a motor and likely Darren Helm's replacement. While AA was the best player on the ice for both teams, he's also an AHL vet.

Mantha deserves a lucky goal because he's had about 30 unlucky non-points that he does deserve. Tongights slick pass for example was bobbled by his teammate. Should have been an easy point for him. Had some rocket shots that got through to the goalie. Mantha is a winger and needs a better centerman to feed him the puck.

I didn't notice anyone on the blue team other than the goalie.

AA is an AHL vet at 21 years old and in his second AHL season? Huh, interesting.

 

[Dotter]

AA is an AHL vet at 21 years old and in his second AHL season? Huh, interesting.

I thought this was his 3rd season and he runs out of waiver options next year. But I digress, the kid is a stud... I do agree with you about that. I think he's already better than Darren Helm. Just another classic case of DRWs overripening their prospects, unless you are a freaking stud and a rare-breed like the amazing Dylan Larkin.

 

[jimmyemery]

Anyway, I was kind of disappointed that the wings called up tangradi for that last game instead of mantha. His points are not showing how wells he's played, and although I'm slightly disappointed he's not scoring at the pace his hype led me to believe he would, he's working damn diligently at rounding out the other aspects of his game. Which I figured they would want to reward with a game in the nhl, but oh well.

 

[Whitesnake]

Do people know sports at all? I mean, were people really ready to call Mantha a bust because of his 1st freakin season last year coming back from an injury? Are people really that stupid?

 

[Szechwan]

Do people know sports at all? I mean, were people really ready to call Mantha a bust because of his 1st freakin season last year coming back from an injury? Are people really that stupid?

Happens with every prospect that doesn't dominate, the kids on the forum want to label them a bust as soon as they possibly can; you just have to learn to filter out the immense amount of "noise" on HF and appreciate it for the few actually knowledgeable posters.

It's par for the course around here. Everyone was quick to call Shinkaruk a bust after getting hip surgery and having a slow start to his first AHL campaign, but now look at him; ppg in his 2nd year as a pro and will push for an NHL roster spot next season.

 

[Dotter]

Do people know sports at all? I mean, were people really ready to call Mantha a bust because of his 1st freakin season last year coming back from an injury? Are people really that stupid?

On top of what you're saying, I think it is also more common than not for big players to naturally be late bloomers. Johan Franzen didn't dominate until the age of like 26 for example.... and he's smaller than Anthony Mantha. Each player have their own development curve and right now young Mantha's primary goal is to be a complete (Red Wings-type) player, not one-dimensional. It's only his 2nd season in pros.

 

[Dotter]

Anyway, I was kind of disappointed that the wings called up tangradi for that last game instead of mantha. His points are not showing how wells he's played, and although I'm slightly disappointed he's not scoring at the pace his hype led me to believe he would, he's working damn diligently at rounding out the other aspects of his game. Which I figured they would want to reward with a game in the nhl, but oh well.

Wings needed Tangradi for a specific 4th line gritty role. Not to score. He filled that role nicely and Wings walked away with a "W" in the win column. Mantha will get his shot soon enough. He's come a long way since his broken tibia last year and has been Griffins best players most nights. He's been much more consistent which is a good sign you want to see from your 6'5" prospect that just turned 21.

 

[KGL]

Huge 9-1 win for the Griffins. Surprised to see Mantha failed to register a single point. Now at 3 points in his last 10 games.

 

[LeafChief]

Just looking at stat lines, it looks like he will surpass his point total from his rookie season.

Nothing wrong with continuing to progress. Obviously not as quick as some might have hoped but he is still on an upwards trajectory.

 

[Dotter]

I'm still amazed at how fast this kid is considering his size. He's a burner. He needs to get a few games in the NHL this season to boost his confidence. I think he'll excel in the NHL when playing with some real NHL talent.

 

[nbwingsfan]

Huge 9-1 win for the Griffins. Surprised to see Mantha failed to register a single point. Now at 3 points in his last 10 games.

You seem to have something against Mantha.

Looks like he will surpass his point totals from last season and looks vastly improved overall as well. Exactly what you want to see from a prospect.. Progression each year.

 

[Unbiased]

You seem to have something against Mantha.

Looks like he will surpass his point totals from last season and looks vastly improved overall as well. Exactly what you want to see from a prospect.. Progression each year.

Guy was overhyped since the day he was drafted and after his draft year was being called a top 5 prospect in the entire league. It's not unjust to criticize 27 points in 40 games when people were acting like he was going to be a 40 goal scorer in the NHL at this time.

 

[Rebuilt]

Mantha was also drafted 20th overall in 2013 . Not 5th overall. He was basically a year ahead of everyone else as he just missed the age cutoff for the 2012 draft .

Couple his overage and huge size advantage, he looked a lot better than he actually is.

If the wings can get tweener production out of him plus throwing his weight around, I would consider that a win.

 

[Fazkovsky]

Any chance he could be traded for the right return?

 

[nbwingsfan]

Guy was overhyped since the day he was drafted and after his draft year was being called a top 5 prospect in the entire league. It's not unjust to criticize 27 points in 40 games when people were acting like he was going to be a 40 goal scorer in the NHL at this time.

Very few Wings fans every expected him to be a 40 goal scorer, let alone at the age of 21. Most Wings fans expect him to be 30-30 which he still has that potential.

Also after putting up 81 goals in 81 games he most definitely looked like a top 5 prospects even to professional scouts. That injury to start off his pro career really hurt his development.

 

[Claypool]

Guy was overhyped since the day he was drafted and after his draft year was being called a top 5 prospect in the entire league. It's not unjust to criticize 27 points in 40 games when people were acting like he was going to be a 40 goal scorer in the NHL at this time.

Mantha won CHL player of the year and carried Val'Dor to the Memorial Cup. The hype was absolutely justified. Yep, his point totals aren't where most would like this season but he's usually been Grand Rapids' best forward on the ice. He's certainly having a much better season that last.

 

[Dotter]

Guy was overhyped since the day he was drafted and after his draft year was being called a top 5 prospect in the entire league. It's not unjust to criticize 27 points in 40 games when people were acting like he was going to be a 40 goal scorer in the NHL at this time.

I'm not ruling out 40 goal scorer just yet. He might not ever get there, but I think he'll put up some nice goals in the NHL someday.

I think what's going against Mantha, as far as point production, is:

1). Wings want him to work on his two-way game. They want him to be a puck hound and a good forechecker. And he's came leaps-and-bounds from when he was drafted. It's night and day. That's HUGE!

2). Mantha isn't a player that will be the driving force on his line. He needs a top talented center. No disrespect to GR players, but he is playing with scraps down there. In the NHL pre season he got to play with good talent and put up some very respectable numbers. He looked like he could be in the NHL right now. But that's just not how Detroit does things. Aside from Larkin, who is a freak of nature, and Wings best prospect in like 50 years, players like Mantha will stay in the minors until he has to come to the NHL or lose him. That's just how Detroit rolls.

3). Big players like Mantha take a little longer to develop. I expect him to develop like Johan Franzen where he looks like a solid 4th liner then one day it all just 'clicks' and he explodes and never looks back.

HFboards problem with prospects is "what have you done lately" or "bust". That's not going to be the case with Mantha. I think he's following the development curve exactly like Detroit Red Wings hoped he would.

And then some random hockey fan will post his AHL stats as some kind of 'proof' without ever actually watching him play hockey.

 

[Bjorn Le]

Very few Wings fans every expected him to be a 40 goal scorer, let alone at the age of 21. Most Wings fans expect him to be 30-30 which he still has that potential.

Also after putting up 81 goals in 81 games he most definitely looked like a top 5 prospects even to professional scouts. That injury to start off his pro career really hurt his development.

Revisionism. Many Wing's fans expected him to be a 40 goal scorer and at least expecting him to be playing now. Everyone knows this, accept it and move on. Professional scouts were swooning over him but let's not pretend that no one say this coming. Mantha was your stereotypical "junior star", and there were concerns that what is happening to him now would happen. He has a lot of work to do if he wants to be an NHL forward.

 

[LarKing]

Revisionism. Many Wing's fans expected him to be a 40 goal scorer and at least expecting him to be playing now. Everyone knows this, accept it and move on. Professional scouts were swooning over him but let's not pretend that no one say this coming. Mantha was your stereotypical "junior star", and there were concerns that what is happening to him now would happen. He has a lot of work to do if he wants to be an NHL forward.

I think you're confusing potential with expectations. Very few of us would've put money on him being a 40 goal nhler, but there were probably quite a few of us who said that he could do it if he hit his potential.