Sunny Mehta was at it again this Wednesday morning, bolstering the Devils' top-six forward core. Mehta signed the soon-to-be 32-year-old, 6'5", 240-pound Anthony Mantha to a two-year deal worth $4.75 million annually.
Coming off a career-high 33-goal and 31-assist season with Pittsburgh, Mantha is expected to slot in on the Devils' top line alongside Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt. Mantha offers elite speed and the ability to generate offense off the rush. While he won't necessarily lug the mail, Mantha ranks in the top 30% for acceleration and the top 20% for overall speed in the NHL. For a player his size, there might not be a better skater in hockey.
In addition to his skating abilities, the big winger has the hands to finish. Mantha possesses a heavy, quick shot that ranks near the top of the league in multiple categories. His seven shots clocked between 90 and 100 mph last season dwarf the league average of just one shot per player in that range. Expect an immovable net-front presence with the ability to fire off quick, hard, and effective shots in very tight spaces.
When compared to other targets Devils fans were drooling over like Brady Tkachuk and Alex Tuch, Mantha should be able to provide similar numbers for half the price. Tkachuk is currently making $8.21 million and recorded 22 goals and 37 assists last season in 60 games. Meanwhile, the 30-year-old Tuch just received a monster $10.5 million annual salary for the next eight seasons after potting 33 goals and 33 assists in 79 games this past year. For roughly half the cost of those two players, Mehta lands Mantha, whose 33 goals and 31 assists in 81 games during the 2025–26 season stack up beautifully.
So, why was he so cheap? NHL GMs are not dumb. Overall, Mantha has historically been a middle-six journeyman. Although he is big and uses his size to protect the puck, he is not the prototypical, punishing power forward that Tkachuk is. In his 11 NHL seasons, he has eclipsed 20 goals only four times, and 30 goals just once (last year). Furthermore, those 33 goals were scored on just 152 shots for an elevated 21.7% shooting percentage, which is realistically unsustainable. At 32 years old when the season begins, Mantha will also likely begin to lose a step over the next few campaigns. For an oversized player, he relies on his speed more than most, which explains the short-term deal that limits New Jersey's long-term risk.
Overall, this is a phenomenal fit for Mehta and the Devils. At a low cap hit, on a short term, and with no No-Move Clause (NMC), Mantha can easily provide the kind of value most teams pay upwards of $8 million to acquire. A conservative projection for next season sits at 22 goals and 25 assists. However, if Mantha can stay healthy and gel on the Hughes line, a repeat 30-goal campaign is entirely within reach