This summer, much like last summer the Penguins made a free agent signing with a lot of similarities. Both involved former first round picks, both were forwards hailing from Quebec. Both players had at least one 20-goal NHL season in their history, but both had bounced around playing for three different teams in the previous two seasons after signing contracts worth over $15 million and disappointing. In that realm, both were already one step beyond the typical standard second chance.
Heck, both even have the same first name of Anthony.
The Pens’ 2025 redemption case, Anthony Mantha, will be looking to walk in the footsteps of 2024’s successful revitalization of Anthony Beauvillier. The latter ended the season in the playoffs and signing a multi-year deal worth over $5 million in totality, while also bringing Pittsburgh back a better draft pick than many expected (second round).
It won’t be easy for Mantha, coming off a torn ACL and surgery to repair it last November.
“It’s been a long time. I should be ready for camp,” Mantha said in speaking to the media yesterday. “That was my main goal when I did get surgery. It’s going to be almost 10 months post-op at the start of camp, so I should be all set and running. I’ll be ready. That’s the ultimate goal, and that’s exactly what I told Pitt when we were talking to each other over the summer.”
Modern science and sports physio has made a short turnaround time for athletes to return from major injuries, Mantha re-iterated that he plans to hit the ground running.
“I need to really get back into it, really focus and play my best hockey from camp on,” said Mantha, who has put more of an emphasis on defense over the past couple of years, while still doing what he does best in the offensive zone. “If I have a good chance at shooting the puck, I’ll shoot it. I won’t think twice about it.”
Saying the right things is one thing, it remains to be seen how Mantha will perform on the ice. A knock on him has always been getting his output to match his immense skillset and the promise that a 6’5”, 235 pound player who can skate and has good hands could potentially do.
Mantha had 24 and 25 goal seasons with Detroit in 2018 and 2019 then scored 38 points in 43 games in the 2019-20 COVID season. He was in his mid-20’s and potentially looking like an impact player at the NHL level and then it didn’t really launch. A trade to Washington had him middling and left the Caps wondering how to get the most out of him. Mantha only recorded 24 goals in his first three seasons with the Caps (114 games), but then broke out with 20-goals in 56 games in a contract year of 2023-24. That helped boost him up enough to be moved as a trade deadline piece for Vegas.
That stint ended up being another step back, Mantha played in Games 1-3, and the Golden Knights were left so unsatisfied that they made their big deadline pick a healthy scratch for Games 4-7 in the rest of the series that they would lose and turn him out into free agency. Mantha signed with Calgary, looking against for redemption but suffered the ACL injury in the early going of 2024-25, bringing us up to the current day.
“For me, it’s to bring the best hockey I can… find some confidence, and make things happen.”
Realizing the journey he’s been on for the past few years, that statement hits a little harder. Anthony Mantha has spent a decade in the NHL playing over 500 games and produced 300 points. That alone is impressive, he’s lived out the dream of any hockey player and made a mark on the biggest stage. He’s made over $35 million in his career, more money than most could dream of. Yet with all these accomplishments, he still comes with an air of unfulfilled potential. As a player he’s been knocked at times floating or not giving his best performances. He’s got the talent, but hasn’t shown the drive at all times to impress all observers. There seems to be that hidden layer to tap into to draw out even more.
The Pens will look to do that. Their big Anthony success story only scored 13 goals and 20 points in 63 games last season, he didn’t exactly set the world on fire. But he proved himself in a variety of roles up and down the lineup and doing whatever it took at any phase of the game on power play, penalty kill or even strength, left or right wing, playing with Sidney Crosby or enduring a healthy scratch – and everything in between.
Such is likely the future of this year’s Anthony, coming off that knee injury it might require a little more time than advertised to get him to the top of his game. If there’s been anything learned from Mantha’s career so far it’s that there will be some ups and downs, stops and starts with moments of dazzling brilliance sprinkled in.
“Luckily enough, Pitt came through, and I think gave me a great opportunity and great deal from the start of free agency,” Mantha said. “It was hard to look past them, and I’m just excited to join the Penguins.”
Likewise, it’s hard to look past Mantha, based on his physical appearance alone. That will make him a big target to see if this season’s Anthony redemption attempt ends up being as successful for all parties as last year’s ended up.