Anthony Mantha, set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, disclosed to Catherine Savoie of RDS that the Vegas Golden Knights, who traded for him at the deadline, will not be offering him a new contract.
Mantha recorded three goals and 10 points across 18 games with the Golden Knights following his trade from the Washington Capitals. However, he was unable to score in three playoff appearances. Vegas had acquired Mantha from Washington in exchange for a second-round pick in this year's draft and a fourth-rounder in 2026. Throughout the season, he accumulated a total of 23 goals and 44 points in 74 games split between both teams. The initial hope was that he would bolster the offense and contribute to a potential Stanley Cup repeat, but the plan did not unfold as expected.
Mantha recently concluded a four-year, $22.8 million contract he signed with the Detroit Red Wings in 2020, carrying a $5.7 million annual cap hit. In the March trade to the Capitals, Washington retained 50% of his salary. Originally drafted 20th overall by the Red Wings in 2013, Mantha was traded to the Capitals in 2021. He is a three-time 20-goal scorer and has surpassed 50 points twice, with his last 50-point season occurring in the 2017-18 campaign with Detroit.
The Golden Knights are navigating tight cap space constraints, with CapFriendly projecting $6.2 million available this summer, including LTIR relief, and already having 20 players under contract for next season. They are prioritizing players like Jonathan Marchessault over Mantha. Mantha is likely not the only one facing potential cap constraints, especially given the Golden Knights' history of making unexpected moves to acquire big-name players through free agency or trades.
