The moment every Detroit Red Wings fan has been waiting for from the moment Anthony Mantha was selected in the first round of the 2013 NHL entry draft will arrive Tuesday at Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center.
Left-winger Mantha was recalled Monday from Detroit’s Grand Rapids Griffins American Hockey League affiliate and is expected to make his debut as the Red Wings face the Philadelphia Flyers in a game with huge playoff implications.
“We only have four recalls this time of year so we wouldn’t use one if he weren’t going to be in the lineup so I think the plan is to have him play, yes,… Detroit assistant general manager Ryan Martin said.
When he takes the ice for his first shift, Mantha, 21, will become the 900th player in Detroit franchise history but in terms of anticipation of his arrival in Hockeytown, he’d rate much higher.
There’s been a buzz around the 6-4, 205-pound Mantha since he was named the Canadian Hockey League player of the year with the Val d’or Foreurs in 2013-14, his last year of junior prior to turning pro.
Injuries slowed his development, but this has been a breakthrough season for Mantha with Grand Rapids. He scored a goal in nine of the 13 games he played for the Griffins prior to his recall, include each of the last three, during which he’d posted 3-3-6 totals.
“The last month in Grand Rapids he’s been one of our best players, really since probably the middle of February he’s kind of taken another step in his career and he’s been very consistent the last I’d say 12 to 14 games, and it’s a recall that’s very well deserved and very much earned by him,… said Martin, who has witnessed Mantha’s evolution into dominant pro first hand.
“You see consistency from night to night, confidence with the puck,… Martin said. “He’s stronger on the puck, more competitive without the puck.
“Everything when it comes to guys making the jump from the American League to the NHL, a lot of times it has to do with consistency and being an everyday player and he’s really shown improvement in those areas.
“When you go to watch him play a game in Grand Rapids now the number of high skill plays he has where he’s big and strong and taking to the net are more frequent than they have in the past and with that the puck is going in the net some more and he’s got some added confidence so that’s certainly helped him.…
Like most young players, it’s been a battle for Mantha to find his way as a pro. The AHL may not be the NHL, but it’s vastly superior to junior and college hockey and for every Dylan Larkin who makes the jump seamlessly, there are dozens, even top prospects like Mantha, who at first play as if there were speed bumps built into the ice as they make that step up the hockey ladder.
During his struggles to establish himself as a consistent pro, Mantha felt much criticism, some of it from members of the Red Wings brass. But he’s persevered and tried to learn from the peaks as well as the valleys during his progression.
“I think he feels like he’s really put the time in and he’s focused,… Martin said. “I know he’s been doing extra video work with the coaches.
“One game, we were down there and the next night he didn’t play very well. So the following day he came in to meet with the coaches and said, ‘I want to see all the clips from the game where I had the hat trick and the one from last night where I don’t think I was playing very well. I want you guys to be critical and tell me where I was missing things. Here’s what I think.’ So that’s a real mature reaction for a young player.
“I don’t think he would have done that a year ago. It shows a progression in his development and how he views himself.…
Follow me on Twitter @asktheduffer