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NHL Free Agency 2018: Detroit Red Wings sign Anthony Mantha

By Thomas G

TORONTO, ON - MARCH 24: Detroit Red Wings right wing Anthony Mantha (39) skates during the warm up before a game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 24, 2018 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario Canada. The Toronto Maple Leafs won 4-3. (Photo by Nick Turchiaro/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - MARCH 24: Detroit Red Wings right wing Anthony Mantha (39) skates during the warm up before a game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 24, 2018 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario Canada. The Toronto Maple Leafs won 4-3. (Photo by Nick Turchiaro/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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The Detroit Red Wings have re-signed left winger Anthony Mantha to a two-year contract worth $6.6 million in NHL free agency

On Wednesday, the Detroit Red Wings re-signed 23-year-old forward Anthony Mantha to a two-year deal worth a total of $6.6 million. This contract gives him a cap hit of $3.3 million. Along with Dylan Larkin and Todd Bertuzzi, the 2013 20th overall pick has been one of Detroit’s more promising young players.

For the past two seasons, the Red Wings have been in a very unfamiliar place. Ever since the end of their 25-year playoff streak in 2016, they really have been longing for some good news. This is definitely a good example of said good news.

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In 80 games last year, Mantha scored 24 goals and 24 assists for a total of 48 points. With 87 points in 150 career games, he has averaged over a point every two games.

After playing an additional season in the QMJHL after his draft selection, Mantha spent two years (plus an additional 10 games) with the Red Wings’ AHL affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins.

In 132 games in the AHL, he has posted 88 points. With several older players on the Red Wings’ roster soon to retire, he will only become more important to the future of the Red Wings.

Thoughts on the Signing

While it’s obviously a good thing that the Red Wings are keeping Mantha in the first place, I think it would have been better if they had locked him down for longer. Remember, Detroit’s roster is going to look completely different in two years.

With that knowledge, it’s always nice to have a bit of certainty. In two years, Mantha will likely be a 50+ point player. Odds are, he will want a bit of a pay raise.

Signing Mantha to a longer deal may cost more right now, but it would have saved the Wings quite a bit in the long run.

Since GM Ken Holland is so reluctant to ever go into a rebuild, saving more money long-term would be preferable. Of course, it’s always a possibility that Mantha wasn’t willing to sign long-term for a reasonable price.

Next: Red Wings' 10 Toughest Players of All-Time

It’s great that the Red Wings are putting real effort into keeping and developing younger players, but I would like this signing a lot better if it lasted a bit longer.

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