Forward Anthony Mantha is locked up for another four years with the Detroit Red Wings.
Mantha, 26, was under a two-year contract that expired at the end of the 2019-20 season. He became a restricted free agent (RFA) but will stay with Detroit, the team announced Tuesday. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reports Mantha’s new contract carries an average annual value (AAV) of $5.7 million. That’s up from $3.3 million under his former contract.
Mantha was a 20th overall draft pick in 2013 after putting up 89 points in 67 games with Val d’Or Foreurs in the QMJHL. The expectation was that Mantha, standing 6 feet 5 inches, would be an offensive force on the wing at the NHL level. He began to hit his stride in 2017-18 with 24 goals for the Red Wings -- he followed that up with 25 goals in 2018-19.
This past season Mantha only appeared in 43 games for Detroit, but he still managed 16 goals and 22 assists thanks to a hot start to the season. He suffered a hand injury in December that kept him out of he lineup for weeks.
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