Washington Capitals: Breaking down the big Anthony Mantha trade

Well, the Washington Capitals were going to do something at the trade deadline. And they made a big move, just not quite a splash. But it did cause a rift in Caps Twitter so that amounts for something right? They have traded Jakub Vrana and Richard Panik to the Detroit Red Wings as well as a 2021 first rounder and 2022 second rounder in exchange for Anthony Mantha.

Mantha is signed through the 2023-24 season with a cap hit of $5.7 million in average annual value (AAV). The 26 year old forward is a native of Longueuil, Quebec and recorded 21 points with 11 goals and 10 assists in 42 games with the Red Wings this season.

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Listed at six foot five and 234 pounds, Mantha led Detroit with 11 goals and ranked second with 21 points. Mantha led Detroit with 19 even strength points (nine goals, 10 assists) and was tied for third with two power play goals.

During the 2019-20 season, Mantha ranked third on the team in goals with 16, tied for third in assists with 22 and third in points with 38 all while despite playing in only 43 of the team’s 71 games due to injury. He was on pace for his best statistical season as his 0.88 points per game average eclipsed his previous best of 0.71 from the 2018-19 season when he had a career high 25 goals and 48 points in 67 games.

In 302 career games with Detroit, Mantha has recorded 194 points with 95 goals and 99 assists. Since his NHL debut on March 15, 2016, Mantha is tied with Dylan Larkin for the most goals on the Red Wings with 95 and has led the team in goals per game during that span with 0.31.

In addition, Mantha has led Detroit in goals per game in two of the last four seasons and has ranked in the top three on the team in goals in each of his five full NHL seasons.

During this stretch, Mantha has led Detroit in shot attempt percentage at five on five with 52.5 percent. Mantha’s 6.6 relative shot percentage at five on five is the second highest percentage in the NHL among players with at least 200 games played, trailing only Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins (7.2 percent).

The Caps had to part ways with Jakub Vrana and Richard Panik, the former which won’t sit too well with some Caps fans. Vrana was scratched for two games and it’s a shame to see him go like this. Panik was placed on waivers before going to the taxi squad unclaimed.

Vrana had 11 goals and 14 assists in 39 games and perhaps could have had more if he wasn’t in a scoring slump. Panik had three goals and six assists in 36 games.