To no one's surprise, Mantha is named top rookie

No one can truly be surprised that right-winger Anthony Mantha was named the Detroit Red Wings rookie of the year Friday by the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association. This one was about as obvious as it gets. Among several young players who made an impact during what was clearly the first step in a rebuild of the franchise, Mantha’s 17 goals placed him among the team’s leaders, even though he only played 60 games. “We want to be part of this team full-time,… said Mantha, 22, who began the 2016-17 season with AHL Grand Rapids. “For my part, and (defenseman Nick) Jensen, we obviously got called up during the year, so we just want to be better next year and get a spot on this team as soon as the year starts.… That shouldn’t be a worry for either player. Jensen was playing in Detroit’s top defensive tandem by season’s end, and while Mantha was occasionally victimized by the ebb and flow of his compete level, he certainly displayed NHL-caliber finishing touches, and those types of players are hard to find in what will be a 31-team league by next season. The 6-5, 221-pound Mantha, Detroit’s top pick in the 2013 NHL entry draft, wants to improve in what he described as “just little details… of the game. “It’s not to have a five or six-game slump for myself,… he added, explaining further. “Trying to reduce that to maybe a game or two in a row is my goal for next year. Helping the team win every single night and not just being present for a game out of four.… Watching those around him, especially the players who are veteran NHLers, opened Mantha’s eyes as to what it takes to play at an elite NHL level on a daily basis. “You see how they show up every day,… Mantha said. “That’s what you learn the most as a young kid. This year, I watched (Detroit captain Henrik) Zetterberg practice and play and he’s always at the same level. He’s always competing, even in practice. So, I’ll try to get that mentality for next year.… Mantha is already working on his goals for the 2017-18 campaign, planning an offseason regimen similar to the one he completed last year. I’ll just keep doing my routine in the gym,… he said. “I think last offseason was my best summer, so I’ll try to do the same thing. “Obviously, I’ll go back in the gym and try to put on a little bit more weight, and probably take a few power skating lessons this summer, just to try to be quicker out there, more mobile.…