Anthony Mantha is a pending UFA who could provide an upgrade on offense to some teams in the playoff race that need a goal-scoring boost. Anthony Mantha [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjA0MzgwNDM3MjI3Nzc1Nzc2/usatsi_22194461_168400847_lowres.jpg] Anthony Mantha The Washington Capitals are in somewhat of a bind at the moment, and other NHL teams should pay attention to them in the lead-up to the trade deadline. The Capitals rank seventh in the Metropolitan Division standings, one point behind the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Pens have one game in hand. Washington GM Brian MacLellan has some intriguing decisions to make regarding his roster [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals/takes/washington-capitals-mantha-dowd-trade-deadline-ovechkin-kuznetsov-17-things], with pending UFAs, including forward Max Pacioretty and defenseman Joel Edmundson, likely to attract interest from playoff-bound teams. That said, there’s another looming UFA that’s going to garner the most attention from other teams [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals/takes/washington-capitals-anthony-mantha-latest-trade-speculation-deadline]. Winger Anthony Mantha has a $5.7-million salary cap hit that may make him unaffordable to certain cap-strapped franchises. But some teams could move around money to bring Mantha in. Mantha has had a great rebound season with the Capitals this year, posting 16 goals – more than Alex Ovechkin (14) and second on the team to center Dylan Strome (20) – and 26 points in just 13:48 of ice time in 48 games. The 29-year-old Mantha would be a solid addition to a team in need of offense – here are three of those potential squads. The Seattle Kraken have the fifth-worst offense in the NHL, averaging just 2.72 goals per game. The Kraken don’t have much in the way of cap space right now, with about $3.2 million [https://puckpedia.com/team/seattle-kraken]. But if GM Ron Francis trades a veteran such as 33-year-old forward Jordan Eberle or 22-point second-line center Alexander Wennberg, Seattle would have the space to spend on Mantha and keep him around for the long term. Next up, the Arizona Coyotes could be a spot for Mantha, especially if they trade veteran winger Jason Zucker, with 22 points in 42 games, and his $5.3-million cap hit. The Coyotes also are struggling to put up offense, and Mantha could provide a bump in goal production with increased minutes from Arizona coach Andre Tourigny. The Coyotes will have more than enough cap space by the deadline to bring in Mantha without moving someone else, but if they aren't going to spend to the cap upper limit, a potential Mantha trade could be a cash-in, cash-out transaction. Finally, another team in need of offense is the Nashville Predators, who have enough cap space to acquire Mantha without sending any NHL-level assets Washington’s way. The Preds are a mushy-middle squad right now, but if they choose to be buyers at the deadline, Mantha would be a nice addition to Nashville’s roster, and the Caps may prefer to deal him out of their division. They're neck and neck with the Kraken in the battle for a Western Conference wild card, trailing the Blues in the second spot by four points. Any upgrades in goal-scoring could be the difference between a playoff appearance and an early vacation with low draft lottery odds. Mantha doesn’t have a no-trade or no-move clause in his contract, making him easier to deal if the Capitals find the right fit. They’re not going to bring in a boatload of assets in a Mantha trade, but a high draft pick and a decent prospect would probably be as good as MacLellan can get for Mantha, who is on pace to post a career-high 27 goals this season. Keeping Mantha on a team beyond this season may be tricky, as the market for scoring forwards isn’t exactly brimming with talent. Mantha could take his talents to the UFA market, and that could affect the type of package he gets in a trade. But barring a miracle in the next few weeks, the Caps are not going to be a playoff team, and they’d be much better served by cutting ties with their looming UFAs. Mantha is their most attractive trade asset, and given Washington’s place in their competitive cycle, it doesn’t make sense for the Capitals to keep him around. By this time next month, Mantha is probably going to be wearing a new uniform. He’s done well to improve his stock this season, but in terms of being a fit, his time might run out in D.C. The only question now is where he winds up – either as a pure rental or a long-term solution.
