[Signing] Flames sign Mantha (1 yr, $3.5 mil)

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by boogerz

Other than last year where he started the season cold, Mantha tends to start seasons well:

2022-23: 4 pts in his first 7 games, followed by 2 pts in the next 8 games
2021-22: 5 pts in his first 7 games, followed by 3 pts in the next 9 games
2020-21: 7 pts in his first 11 games, followed by 2 pts in the next 12 games
2019-20: 11 pts in his first 9 games, following by 3 pts in the next 7 games

Should be interesting to revisit this thread once Mantha inevitably hits one of his lazy, cold streaks and becomes a whipping boy

Yep, classic lazy player that comes into every season like gangbusters and then levels off to a much lesser player. NHL is littered with them throughout the years. Not a guy you lock up. He's a guy you pump and dump with huge PP minutes.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Yep, classic lazy player that comes into every season like gangbusters and then levels off to a much lesser player. NHL is littered with them throughout the years. Not a guy you lock up. He's a guy you pump and dump with huge PP minutes.

Is it being lazy or the inability to stay healthy?, Mantha has always had a problem with the injury bug.

[dino7c]

Its hard to be consistent in the best league on earth. If it wasn't everyone would get 100+ points. For what the Flames are paying he will be a bargain IMO

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by dino7c

Its hard to be consistent in the best league on earth.

Consistency can be good or bad, mind you. As Hawkeye said to Frank Burns on M*A*S*H: ‘You screwed up today just like every other day. Now, that's what I call consistent!’

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

Consistency can be good or bad, mind you. As Hawkeye said to Frank Burns on M*A*S*H: ‘You screwed up today just like every other day. Now, that's what I call consistent!’

if you are consistently bad you won't be in the NHL and certainly won't have 300 points

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by TheIronMaiden

At the end of the day, if a prospect wants Mantha's job they'd have to steal it. No one did, yet...

I don’t buy the steak a job narrative. He was signed as a free agent for multiple times minimum salary. There was less than zero chance of him losing his job in training camp. Even during the season it’s his to lose, not someone’s to steal. There are different rules for better-than-AHL veterans.

Now given his history, there a decent chance he will in fact lose it, and if not then he can be traded.

[Snuffleupagus]

Mantha is a massive human at 6'5 235lbs, he had 23g-44pts last year and when healthy and interested can play a very heavy game along the boards, it's silly talk that we have a prospect ready that can do what he can do.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by dino7c

if you are consistently bad you won't be in the NHL and certainly won't have 300 points

True, but there are players out there who are consistent enough to be top performers in the AHL or Euro leagues, but not quite good enough to pull their weight in the NHL. If I had to choose, I'd rather have an inconsistent NHLer on my roster than a perfectly consistent minor-leaguer.

[EVERLAST]

If Mantha CAN dial it back like Tkachuk realized he had to during the regular season and Pick his spots wisely he could be a very effective player.

Every player like that has to realize that they can't bring it every night.

Lomberg to learn not as well. Iginla knew this well but once he heated up watch out.

The whole league knew not to wake Jarome up !!! Ive heard dozens of players description of that problem.

Greatest players in the game didn't always produce the points but this is why we have a Selke trophy winner . Those guys get forgotten about . Even thr Norris guys .

Does anyone even remember Gio won a Norris anymore?

Greatest example of a guy who's the all around package Jagr. You don't play this game for this long and make such an impact on EVERYONE.

Back to Mantha though. I think Huska needs to monitor his minutes . That 300 shot challenge is huge.

Looking at players that did it is wow.

Damn I love this game

[BigThief]

Mantha's issue has always been he dials his game to almost zero. The more consistent engagement you get from this guy the better

[My2Cents]

I still would like him moved at the deadline. Consistency and effort usually drop if they have few year contract. Let someone else pay him. We can enjoy the contract year results.

[EVERLAST]

Originally Posted by My2Cents

I still would like him moved at the deadline. Consistency and effort usually drop if they have few year contract. Let someone else pay him. We can enjoy the contract year results.

I don't Believe Conroy is willing to sign anybody anymore to multiple seasons period.

Didn't he just watch The Worst example question mark. I think Conroy is smart enough to learn from other people's mistakes.

[BoLevi]

Originally Posted by My2Cents

I still would like him moved at the deadline. Consistency and effort usually drop if they have few year contract. Let someone else pay him. We can enjoy the contract year results.

I think it's virtually certain that he is moved at the deadline. Only thing I question is the return.

[Erick Estrada]

If he has a solid season for the Flames with a solid effort level he should look very attractive for teams hoping to go deep into the playoffs.

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by Snuffleupagus

Mantha is a massive human at 6'5 235lbs, he had 23g-44pts last year and when healthy and interested can play a very heavy game along the boards, it's silly talk that we have a prospect ready that can do what he can do.

Similar to the talk of the Flames having someone ready to replace what Kuzmenko brings.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by activeStick

Similar to the talk of the Flames having someone ready to replace what Kuzmenko brings.

Most of the prospects who will replace these guys will bring a different skillset.

You don't replace an Iginla with another Iginla. We went in a different direction with the team after we traded him.

Guys like Honzek have the size, maybe not the snarl that Mantha has. Coronato has the shot and goal scoring ability, but not the dangling ability that Kuzmenko brings.

[Robbob]

I also think Honzek can get bigger and more challenging to play against once/if he can fill out.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Robbob

I also think Honzek can get bigger and more challenging to play against once/if he can fill out.

Probably.

I think being hard to play against with mistaken with just size and hitting.

It's how you play and having guys who can forecheck and protect the puck and wear teams down in the offensive zone.

[Enoch Root]

Mantha has played at a 49 pt pace for his entire career. He had 44 pts in 74 games last year. Guys who put up 45 pts a year are paid $5M+, not $3M. Backlund is a career 44 pt per season, for comparison.

Not only was this a good, value signing, but we are going to trade him for free assets. It was a great signing by Conroy. Period. And all we are going to hear all year is complaints about him.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

It was a great signing by Conroy. Period. And all we are going to hear all year is complaints about him.

I'll get ahead of the curve by making the first complaint about all the complainers who complain about the complaints.

Done. Now we can move on. What a start, eh?