Anthony Mantha’s season has come to an abrupt end after just 13 games due to a serious knee injury. He needs surgery to fix his ACL, which will happen on Thursday. The injury occurred when he fell awkwardly on his right knee following a hit from Emil Heineman last Tuesday.
This is tough for Mantha, who was eager to show that last year’s success wasn’t just a one-time thing. Injuries have been a constant hurdle in his career, but this ACL tear is the most severe yet. Previously with the Red Wings, he scored over 20 goals twice and seemed back in form last year with the Capitals before being traded to the Golden Knights. There, he netted three goals and seven assists in 18 games before becoming a free agent and signing a $3.5M deal with the Flames for one year.
Mantha had four goals and three assists this season but was shooting less than ever before . Fans might wonder how this will affect his future prospects in hockey. At age 30, he’ll have time to recover before entering free agency again next summer.
Impact on Flames:
The Flames lose an experienced player they hoped would boost their scoring depth as they struggle at 20th place with 2.80 goals per game. With Mantha out, young players must step up their game to fill the gap left by him not shooting as much as expected.
Matthew Coronato could be the biggest beneficiary of this situation; he’s already making waves with five goals and an assist in ten games while playing over 14 minutes per match on average.
Even though Mantha is off the active roster due to earlier IR placement, his $3.5M cap hit remains unchanged for now—though Calgary has enough cap space not needing immediate financial adjustments unless they opt for long-term injured reserve status for him.
Do you think Mantha can bounce back next season?
