According to MLive’s Ansar Khan, the Red Wings almost reacquired Anthony Mantha via free agency before Steve Yzerman chose to step down as the team’s general manager:
With Dylan Larkin seemingly on his way out and Patrick Kane declining to re-sign, the Red Wings were and still are desperate for offense. So, Yzerman offered Anthony Mantha a one-year deal for $5 million.
Mantha, 31, coming off a career-high 33 goals and 64 points with Pittsburgh, nearly accepted. Then Yzerman was out two days later, and the New Jersey Devils signed Mantha for two years at a $4.75 million average annual value.
Since then, nothing apparently has changed with Larkin’s trade request, Kane signed with the Blackhawks, the Red Wings’ search for a new GM continues and the team still needs more offense, including a top-line center.
They’re not going to find much in the free-agent leftover pile that includes former Red Wing Vladimir Tarasenko, Eeli Tolvanen, Michael Bunting and Patrik Laine.
Continued…Perhaps things will work out for the best this way? It’s hard to say until the team hires its next GM and we see what transpires thereafter.
While we need 5-on-5 help, this smells of desperation. We’ve seen Mantha in Hockeytown, and while it seems prudent to keep motivation high via contract-year pressure, I would be unconvinced that he wouldn’t fall back into his same Hockeytown mindframe.
Losing Kane is going to hurt, but I’m all in on seeing what a much younger roster can bring to the table. (And we’re looking to continue our every season road pilgrimage, this year traveling to Tampa for a November game—so money where my mouth is on this one.)