Anthony Mantha kicked off the Washington Capitals’ trade deadline week when he was dealt to the Vegas Golden Knights for two draft picks on Tuesday. Coming back from an underwhelming 2022-23 season, Mantha became one of Washington’s strongest players this year, attracting attention at the deadline and earning him a spot with the reigning Stanley Cup Champions.
Mantha spoke with the media on Wednesday before making his debut for the Golden Knights the following night. Though the shock of the trade remained fresh in his mind, he expressed excitement for the opportunity to play in Vegas.
“It’s going to be awesome,” he said. “I mean once I landed— before that was stressful. Starting last night just packing and trying to figure out with the wife and baby what to do. Still don’t know but it’ll come. We’ll chat about it. I’m just excited to be here.”
This trade stood in sharp contrast to the deal that initially sent him to the Capitals at the 2021 trade deadline: his strong performance in a contract year made Mantha a prime target for a playoff rental.
“Pretty different to be honest,” he said. “The last trade, when I went to Wash, it was my first year of my contract and I was not expecting it whatsoever. This year there was a lot of rumors for the past month, month and a half. So you kind of expect it at one point, being a UFA over the summer and you just don’t know where. And here I am. I’m excited to be here.”
The Capitals initially tried to shop Mantha over the offseason, dissatisfied with his play, but were unable to find a deal. Nine months later, Mantha ranked second on the Capitals in goals (20) and led the team in points at five-on-five with 26 (17g, 9a). Instead of leaving Washington in a contract dump, Mantha found himself a desired part of a contender.
“Oh, this is massive, he said. “If you told me last year at this time of year that I was going to be here today, I would have said, ‘Nah, I don’t believe you.’ Like I said, I worked hard over the season, over the offseason, and it’s a great chance for me to prove that I’ve still got in to try and help this team win.”
Even beyond the scoresheet, Mantha believes he has a lot to offer his new squad.
“I mean obviously (I’m a) big player,” he said. “I think I could bring a lot of emotions to the game. A lot of skills. I’m doing a good job on the forecheck this year. I need to keep pushing out pace and obviously, I need to score goals. They came to get me to bring some offense also, and I think that’s one part of my game that I am able to do.”
Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy seconded Mantha’s assessment, noting that he could get significant time on the man advantage.
“Big winger, can score. Good hands, soft hands,” he said. “Good on the breakout and on the walls. His defensive metrics were solid this year in Washington. Power play numbers were average there, so I don’t know if he got in the way of somebody, but he’ll get an opportunity here.
“We’ll talk to him, see what his best fit is, but I know he can–I remember when I was in Boston, Washington certainly could shoot from the elbow or the bumper position. Big guy, whether he’s a net-front guy or done that, I don’t know. I think they used him a little bit there this year. So it should help, especially with losing a guy like Mark Stone, a big body that plays those kind of minutes and does some of those things. Should fill the void there for us.”
Mantha joined former Capital Chandler Stevenson and William Karlsson on Vegas’ second line Thursday, skating 15:14 in a 3-1 loss to the Vancouver Canucks.
He also got the chance to make a fluffy friend in his new city, meeting the Golden Knight’s team dog Maverick.
After nearly three years in Washington, Mantha understands he’ll need time to adjust to a new system. But just knowing that Vegas wanted him enough to make a deal means Mantha’s confident he’s up for the task.
“You kind of just be you,” he said. “That’s why they came to get you. That’s the person you are and I’ll just be me. That’s basically it.”
