A year ago, he was the flavour of the month, a young man placed upon a pedestal.
Anthony Mantha was the bright future of the Detroit Red Wings and as the team reported to training camp in Traverse City, Mich., he was supposed to be the talk of the town.
Instead, Detroit’s top pick in the 2013 NHL entry draft was left to watch from the sideline after suffering a leg fracture during the Wings’ prospect tournament the week prior.
After recovering, Mantha endured an up and down rookie season with AHL Grand Rapids, so as the Wings reported to camp this fall, there were as many doubters in the Mantha camp as there were supporters.
From people expecting the 6-5, 214-pound right-winger to challenge for a spot in Detroit, to the reality of struggling to find his way in the minor leagues, Mantha admits it was a humbling experience.
“At first I really wanted to play with the Wings,… Mantha said. “Now I learned their mentality, I learned how they want to do things, I learned how hard it is to make the Wings. “It’s just a different path and I need to keep going.…
Healthy and armed with a week’s experience of playing in this year’s prospect tournament, Mantha, 21, feels much better about the upcoming season than the struggles he endured as a pro rookie.
“Last year, I couldn’t practice with the guys; I couldn’t play the scrimmages,… Mantha said. “This year, having the chance to do it is a big difference.
“Obviously we’re trying to have fun. It’s funny how when you have fun you perform your best.…
There wasn’t an abundance of fun or joy in Mantha’s corner last season and this time around, he intends to not let it happen again.
“I learned a lot last year,… Mantha said. “It was a learning process throughout the year with Blash (coach Jeff Blashill). We talked a lot, did a lot of video, so this year I am looking for a fresh start.
“I know what I need to do. I know what they are waiting for from me. We’ll go from there.…
After a 2013-14 season with Val D’Or of the QMJHL in which Mantha potted 57 goals and added 63 assists, his AHL numbers – while not awful, with 15-18-33 numbers in 62 games – were humbling next to those previous digits and Mantha is the first to admit the jump from junior to the AHL was a difficult leap.
“I think it was the speed of the play, always having a guy close to you, the need to make your play maybe half a second faster than it was in junior,… Mantha said. “That was the biggest key I had to get used to last year.…
One advantage for Mantha is that Blashill, the man who coached him in Grand Rapids last season, has made the move to Detroit, so there’s someone in charge of the big club who knows him well and understands what he’s been through.
“I think whether it’s junior, college, anytime you move up levels, the same is true with the American League to the NHL, anytime you move up levels you probably got away with things at the previous level - especially in junior, because your talent may be way better than the next group’s talent level,… Blashill said. “So you have to find how to play, what I call the right way, especially in our system where we demand that you’re going to play a 200-foot game, and you’re going to play from the defensive side of the puck. So it takes awhile to learn how to create offense with playing that way.…
In Mantha’s case, if he wants to be an NHL regular, creating offense is mandatory.
“The one thing with Anthony, a player like him he’s got to score and that’s what he does, and that’s a confidence thing,… Blashill said. “I thought last year, and I saw it the year before with (Tomas) Jurco. You come in with a ton of confidence. All of a sudden with the injury and what not, it was a little bit harder than he probably thought it was going to be.
“The confidence erodes a little bit and now you have to build your confidence back up. I thought the prospects tournament was probably a step in the right direction in building that confidence. Hopefully he continues that here at main camp.…
Blashill is of the belief that it will just be a matter of time until Mantha figures it out.
“I think it’s a growing process,… Blashill said. “I saw that with a lot of those young guys. They all mature. He’s a young guy coming in and he’ll continue that maturation process.…
For Mantha, it’s about gaining experience and continuing to develop the skills he requires to be an NHLer.
“As I said before it’s a fresh start,… Mantha said. “I really want to play for the Red Wings this year. It’s a learning process if I play eight exhibition games, 10 games, 20 games, 30 games. I just want to learn and keep going from there.
“I need to have a great season. If it’s in Detroit or Grand Rapids I need to prove that I could play either way, that I could play power play and maybe have a chance to play some PK with the new coach (Todd Nelson) in Grand Rapids.
“I’m looking forward to it.…
Helm Update The Wings have lost forward Darren Helm for 2-4 weeks with the combination of a Grade 1 shoulder separation and a concussion.
Helm was hurt Friday in a collision with rookie forward Jerome Verrier, who suffered a broken right leg.
“My understand is I don’t think the shoulder will hold him back any longer than whatever coming back from a concussion is,… Blashill said. “Lets start with it’s just a concussion protocol and then, I don’t want to say that it’s day to day, because it’s not with a concussion, but once we get further updates we’ll know.
“Right now he’s out and other guys earn the spots.…
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