Last season, the Washington Capitals couldn't find any suitors for veteran forwards Anthony Mantha or Evgeny Kuznetsov ahead of the deadline. Although GM Brian MacLellan was able to ship Dmitry Orlov and Garnet Hathaway to Boston, Lars Eller to Colorado and Marcus Johansson to Minnesota — accumulating crucial draft capital in the process — both Mantha and Kuznetsov remained on the roster.
In 2023-24, it's been a tale of two completely different players in the nation's capital. Kuznetsov struggled mightily through 43 games, scoring an abysmal six goals and 17 points. That had him tracking towards one of the worst seasons of his career before he entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program earlier this week. That is a brutal blow for the Caps, as Kuznetsov is still an important player despite the difficult season.
Mantha, on the other hand, has been excellent under first-year head coach Spencer Carbery, and he's significantly upped his trade value in the process.
Anthony Mantha excelling under new coach
Mantha was traded from the Detroit Red Wings to the Capitals ahead of the 2021 NHL Trade Deadline, so he's no stranger to being moved on deadline day. And although his first full season in Washington was forgettable — the 29-year-old scored just 11 goals and 27 points over 67 games — the 2023-24 campaign has been a different story.
Here's what Bleacher Report's Lyle Richardson had to say about the former former first-round pick, ranking him No. 16 on his latest NHL Trade Block Big Board:
“Under first-year Washington head coach Spencer Carbery, Mantha has had a better effort this year. With 15 goals in 44 games, he's on pace to reach a career-high 27. He's eligible for unrestricted free-agent status in July and carries a $5.7 million cap hit. The Capitals might have to retain part of it to facilitate a trade. A solid performance by Mantha over the next four weeks could improve his value in the trade market.”
In the midst of a quiet bounce-back season, Mantha could be a solid rental candidate both due to his offensive flair and ability to play a hard game in the playoffs. That is especially true as Washington is falling out of contention in the Eastern Conference. The Caps have lost two straight, falling to 22-20-7 and sitting second-last in the Metropolitan Division. They're currently seven points back of a wildcard berth.
Mantha is probably the Capitals' biggest trade chip, and there's a decent chance he gets moved on or before Mar. 8. Here are three landing spots that make sense.
Winnipeg Jets
After a red hot stretch that vaulted them to the top of the Central Division, things have begun to go off the rails in Winnipeg. The Jets have lost five games in a row, concerningly scoring just four total goals in that stretch. With Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele back from injury, and Sean Monahan now in the fold, it's even more concerning. Mantha is on pace for 27 goals, and could be an immediate upgrade to the middle-six. He could be the type of inexpensive under-the-radar pickup that GM Kevin Cheveldayoff swung for Nino Niederreiter ahead of the deadline in 2023.
Los Angeles Kings
Right now, the Kings' biggest NHL Trade Deadline need is a goaltender. Cam Talbot has fallen off considerably after a Vezina-level first few months, and David Rittich can't be the go-to guy if this team still has postseason aspirations in 2024. Still, Los Angeles would benefit from a scoring winger like Mantha, and he could potentially slot in next to Anze Kopitar on the top line, or line up next to another talented center like Phillip Danault or Pierre-Luc Dubois. Maybe he could even get the latter going. Something needs to change quickly in LA, or this team is not going to make the dance.
Seattle Kraken
Mantha currently doesn't hold a powerplay spot with the Capitals, as PP1 consists of Alex Ovechkin, TJ Oshie, Dylan Strome, Max Pacioretty and John Carlson. There's also no guarantee he would immediately be slotted in on the top unit if he were traded to Winnipeg or Los Angeles, as both teams have a pretty locked in top group. But he could likely carve out a top PP role with the Kraken, and he would also add another scoring touch to a deep top-nine. He would probably also be the first look on the top line with Jared McCann, bumping either Tomas Tatar or Jordan Eberle down the lineup.
With the Capitals fading fast and Anthony Mantha set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer, it just make sense that he would get dealt to a contender ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline. The interesting part will be seeing what the return is, and whether the Caps retain any of his $5.7 million salary in 2024.
Follow Us
Subscribe