Although he just produced a 33-goal season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Anthony Mantha's career in the Steel City came to an abrupt end. The big-time scorer this past year just signed a modest contract with the New Jersey Devils, which could come back to haunt the Penguins. If Mantha keeps his mojo going from this past campaign, then he will be a star player.
That being said, the Devils should be somewhat concerned with Anthony Mantha moving forward.
Having a 33-goal scorer hit free agency is uncommon and seeing him last two weeks into the open market should also raise red flags. At the end of the day many teams seemed concerned about handing Mantha a monster deal. There is a reason for that. While the Devils didn't overspend or give too much term, this contract could still age like milk under the hot sun.
Pittsburgh decided to move on from the 31-year-old winger after a magical season with the organization. They couldn't trust his prior health issues, and inability to remain consistent throughout his career. Perhaps New Jersey found a solid contract in free agency, or maybe it is something they will grow to regret during the two years of the contracts term.
Pittsburgh Penguins loss of Anthony Mantha in free agency might not be debilatating
It turned out that taking a flyer on a recovering Anthony Mantha last year was one of the Penguins best offseason moves. He became one of their most consistent goal scorers throughout the season and helped get them to the playoffs. Probably one of the biggest factors for the team moving on was Mantha's inability to be a positive influence when the playoffs started.
Mantha was like a ghost during the club's series against the Philadelphia Flyers. That was a big reason why the Penguins struggled to compete and score goals in those contests. Without one of your top goal scorers applying points to the scoreboard, and you will be in a heap of trouble.
His history of playoff struggles is clear after being without any goals through 20 post season appearances.
The Devils are doing their best to compete right now with a young core. While Anthony Mantha is a smart move on paper in free agency, he might not help them lift the Stanley Cup. He has a long list of injury problems throughout his career, and this past season is the first time he's scored more than 20 goals during the past nine years. Don't be shocked if he regresses.
Seeing Mantha have a resurgence with the Penguins was nice, but many always assumed it would be short-lived.
The Devils shouldn't expect the winger to produce another season where he scores close to 30 goals or more. He could also suffer more injuries, which could knock him backwards. It's a solid gamble by New Jersey, but their expectations should be cautious.
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