Anthony Mantha

 Anthony Mantha —

DOB: Sept 16 1994     Born: Longueuil, PQ

Position: LW     Shoots: Left

Height: 6′ 4     Weight: 200  

Games: 67   Goals: 50     Assists: 39     Points: 89     P/M: +21     Pim: 71

Anthony Mantha played this past season in the QMJHL for the Val’Or Foreurs.

Anthony Mantha had an excellent season scoring over a point per game with 50 goals and 39 assists.  Hockey fans often ask if he is related to former Winnipeg Jet Moe Mantha Jr.  The answer is no, but he does have NHL hockey bloodlines as his grandfather was former Hab Andre Pronovost.  

Mantha is already 6’4″ and that will automatically attract NHL teams to him on draft day.  NHL teams will love his impressive size combined with his terrific offensive skills.

Offence

While Mantha would be considered more of a goal scorer than a play-maker his on-ice vision and passing skills make him a good play-maker also.  Anthony Mantha has a very good slap-shot along with a great wrist shot that is heavy and accurate with a pro-release. Mantha competes physically and works hard along the boards and fights for position in front of the net, where he is a handful for opposing defencemen.  Like all growing 18 year olds he will need to bulk up if he is going to transition his power forward game at the NHL level..

 

Skating

Mantha is also an outstanding skater for his size.  He has very good top-end speed, and great acceleration.  His powerful skating allows him to drive wide on defenders and cut hard to the net. He also likes to use his speed to back-up defenders and then pull-up and let his tremendous shot go off the rush.

 Defence

Anthony Mantha’s defensive game is a work in progress.  This part of his game needs to become more consistent and developed if he is to be a top NHL player.

 Projection

Anthony Mantha has potential to develop into a #1 line scoring winger.  Mantha’s draft ranking has slowly trended upwards all season and he is now considered to be a top 15 draft pick.  I would think that he will be drafted somewhere in the 10-16 range.