The Washington Capitals and Detroit Red Wings have made the biggest trade of deadline day. The Capitals have acquired Anthony Mantha in exchange for Richard Panik, Jakub Vrana, a 2021 first-round pick, and a 2022 second-round pick.
The Red Wings had been rumored for the last few weeks to be listening on players like Mantha and Tyler Bertuzzi, but no one was expected such a huge package to be coming back. In Vrana, Detroit GM Steve Yzerman has landed a player that has produced more offense (on a per-game basis) than Mantha so far in his career, with 76 goals and 157 points in 284 games.
Lately, Vrana found himself in the coach’s doghouse, even being made a healthy scratch at times. His game is inconsistent, but he still has 11 goals and 25 points in the 39 games he has played this season. That’s still more than Mantha’s 21 points in 42 games, though obviously, the Capitals believe the big winger will fit their lineup better.
If you’re thinking “but the Capitals also gave up a lot more,” you’re not wrong. Part of the draft capital the team gave up is because of Panik though, who Washington wanted to get off the books. Panik is signed through the 2022-23 season at a $2.75MM cap hit but had played himself right out of the lineup and cleared waivers recently. As Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic points out, that likely accounts for one of the picks in the deal.
Of course, Panik isn’t likely to be just a taxi squad player for the Red Wings, who are still deep in a rebuild. It wasn’t so long ago that Panik was a 14-goal scorer for the Arizona Coyotes, and if he can find some production with an increased role in Detroit perhaps they can flip him too down the line. Even if they don’t, Vrana and two high picks is a huge haul.
Mantha, 26, is a tantalizing package of size and skill, but there’s no guarantee he ever puts it all together. The Capitals obviously believe in the 6’5″ forward, and perhaps for good reason. Even in Detroit where he has been surrounded by poor talent, Mantha has still averaged 25 goals over every 82 games and puts up very strong possession numbers relative to his teammates. Perhaps when he gets into a system with All-Stars and Stanley Cup champions those offensive numbers will explode.
It’s important to also remember that the Capitals believe their picks will be near the end of each round, but right now they aren’t running away with the East Division. In fact, Washington is tied with the New York Islanders for first place and just two points ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins. While they are pretty much locked into a playoff spot, there’s certainly no guarantee they make a deep run.
Kevin Weekes of NHL Network was first to break the deal.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Wow huge. I think it’s reasonable to argue Vrana is better than Mantha. I wonder how these picks are going to play out.
Both picks going to Detroit? Wow Yzerman fleeced them.
Alright…nobody Panik!
Wow. Live vrana. I’ll miss him
Love it. Mantha will be forced to not be lazy there. We will see if it’s really him or the wings lack of talent that makes him look like he’s just floating around aimlessly.
WOW
Who is getting what picks will make a difference but generally I think that was a mistake by Washington.
They already had a lot more size than speed, but now they have basically all size and no speed (except for Hagelin).
Vrana was a big part of their 2018 win.
Detroit clearly wins this. Mantha is big bodied but injury riddled. That contract could look really bad in a year or 2 if he doesn’t produce and stay healthy. Detroit can either flip Varana or sign him they have all the cap in the world. Have full faith Stevie Y can make this picks work for the wings
Damn Stevie… way to go!
This is an odd trade to say the least.
What are the Caps doing here? No sense.
Kings should have done this with iafallo
Seriously! A first, a second, AND a player who’s arguably better? This and the Foligno trade make me wonder if the Kings could have got multiple early round picks. I guess we’ll never know what kind of offers GMRB received but if they’re even close to this I think you gotta pull the trigger over keeping him….
Kings don’t need more picks. They have enough prospects. Iafallo was smart to retain.
You can never have enough prospects or assets unless you’re in the same boat as the Lightning or Golden Knights, especially considering Kings will most likely be active on the trade market. If you can take a first and second from AI trade and use it to form a package for someone like Werenski, Dahlin, or Eichel, you do it. Would rather use AI to gather those assets than have to include someone like Turcotte, Madden, or Kupari.
Prospects and some picks get traded for established players to bring in, not just picks. Picks would not be enough to bring in werenski or Eichel. No thanks to Dahlin. If the Kings have to give up 4 first round picks for Eichel, I’d say no thank you as well.
Kings have plenty of prospects in the pipeline. Some will get traded to help round out the lineup. It’s important to have a player like Iafallo that can play big minutes and he’s responsible in every zone.
I like Iafollo. I’m happy he’s still here, and with the price tag. And I wouldn’t have been happy trading him for anything less than a 1st.
However, all of that being said, if you can get something similar to what the Red Wings just got for Mantha, then you do it. I assume that type of package was not available to GMRB or he would have made that trade. All things considered, I’m happy with how it all turned out and think the Kings are still on the right track.
Hmmm, not sure I get what the Caps did here, but maybe it’ll work out.
Yeah this is a terrible trade for the caps
Detroit struck GOLD!!!
The only thing that sucks is that most of these picks will be late 1st rounders… maybe hes going to package them and move up?
Stevie Y is getting Detroit full of draft capital & cleaning house. Mantha can still be an outstanding player but Detroit did not the players to surround him. This is a great return but Mantha will be very good on his new team who will need him on their Cup run.
Honestly this must be because of what Mantha COULD become but he’s getting close to that make or break stage.
Mantha is barley better than Vrana. Huge win by the Wings.
Is Mantha about to become Lindros? What an absolute haul for the Wings.
If you told me the Caps got Mantha for Panik and a first OR you told me the Caps got Mantha for Vrana and a second, I’d still be lukewarm on the deal…
Mantha for Panik, Vrana, a first and a second?
Only the Forsberg for Erat deal keeps this from being the worst trade I’ve ever seen the Caps make.
Vrana has been at odds with Laviolette to the point of being benched a few times. That might have something to do with him being traded. Who knows?
link to russianmachineneverbreaks.com
I would also stress the fact that people are saying Mantha and Vrana are nearly equal, perhaps Vrana being a bit better. Vrana has been playing on a team of all-stars and potential future HOFers with a Cup under his belt and Mantha has been playing on a rebuilding club without much around him. That makes me feel that perhaps Mantha is the better player here, but we shall see.