Calgary Flames’ Decision to Sign Anthony Mantha Looks Like a Mistake – Hockey Writers – Calgary Flames

The sky is still unknown, but the Calgary Flames’ great start to the season is quickly being forgotten due to a three-game losing streak. The latest loss came last night, where they fell to a Vegas Golden Knights team that completely outplayed them from start to finish.

This should not be too surprising because the Flames were not expected to be a competitive team this season. Their hot start caught everyone off guard, and it looks like they’re starting to backslide. While there are several reasons why they have failed to play as well as they did to start the season, free agent signing Anthony Mantha has certainly not helped.

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Mantha agreed to a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Flames this summer. The expectation was that he would play top-six minutes, then be traded to a contender on or before the 2025 trade deadline, when the Flames pick up a draft pick or prospect to help build for the future.

Things got off to a good start, with Mantha flying out of the gates with a Gordie Howe Hat Trick at the start of the season. He followed that up with a point in each of the next two games to give himself three points in a row, and looked like a player who could get a respectable advantage last time out. However, since then, he has struggled a lot.

Mantha Does What Mantha Does

These ups and downs have become common with Mantha’s work. In fact, they were there even before he arrived in the NHL, as scouts expressed caution with him heading into the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.

By all accounts, Mantha had the ability to pick early. Instead, he came in 20th, as there were concerns about his level of competition. These have continued to plague him throughout his career, as the level of effort just isn’t there on a nightly basis. There are times when he can dominate and look like the best player on the ice, only to turn into something less than perfect for important stretches later on.

Although the season is only nine games old, Flames fans have seen it all from Mantha. He’s gone six in a row since getting hot, and the level of competition has been lacking. Now it has come to the point where some fans are saying that he should sit out one or two games to get healthy.

Trading Mantha Can Seem Difficult

If this game continues for Mantha, moving him to acquire future assets at the last minute may be more difficult than initially expected. He was dealt a second- and fourth-round pick at the 2024 Trade Deadline, though that came after scoring 20 goals in 56 games.

Although that production is still possible, he showed little sign of it as he recently gave fans a lot of hope. The biggest problem is that he has built a reputation for being lazy in the league which makes it difficult to move. At the very least, fans should temper expectations when it comes to returns.

Young Players Who Deserve a Chance

What makes this Flames signing a mistake is that Mantha takes up a roster spot that could be better used for a young player. If he wasn’t there, there’s a good chance 21-year-old Matt Coronato would have been playing the top nine minutes. Instead, he is in the American Hockey League (AHL).

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There are also several others who could benefit from a top nine NHL minutes, including Jakob Pelletier, who is also currently in the AHL. While you can understand what general manager Craig Conroy was thinking about bringing Mantha in, Flames fans quickly realized why some fan bases have soured on the 30-year-old throughout his career.