Flames forward Anthony Mantha’s season is over after 13 games. The team announced he will require surgery to repair an ACL injury, which he’ll undergo on Thursday.
Mantha suffered the injury nearly a week ago, but the team had been silent about a potential timeline for his return. He suffered the ACL tear after falling on his right knee following a hit from Canadiens forward Emil Heineman last Tuesday. He landed on injured reserve Thursday, at which point Flames head coach Ryan Huska said Mantha was still being evaluated.
It’s devastating for Mantha, a veteran looking to prove that last season’s resurgence wasn’t a fluke. Various injuries have plagued Mantha for much of his career, but never costing him as much time as this ACL tear will. After breaking the 20-goal plateau twice in his career early on with the Red Wings, Mantha seemed to rediscover his form last year, potting 20 goals in only 56 games with the Capitals before they were able to get a pair of draft picks from the Golden Knights at the trade deadline for his services. He finished the campaign with three goals and seven assists in 18 games for Vegas before hitting unrestricted free agency, where he landed a one-year, $3.5M prove-it deal from the Flames.
This year, Mantha had four goals and three assists, although he also recorded a career-low 1.15 shots per game. He averaged 13:54 per game, his lowest as a full-time NHLer, and recorded eight blocks and 16 hits.
Mantha, 30, will now have plenty of time to recover before testing the UFA market again next summer. He’ll be on injured reserve for at least 100 days this season, meaning he’ll be eligible to sign a contract with performance bonuses.
Meanwhile, the Flames lose a veteran presence who they hoped would add some punch to their depth scoring. Calgary, which has dropped to 7-5-3 following its early-season tear, are clicking at a 20th-place 2.80 goals per game, and even with Mantha not shooting the puck as much as they’d hoped, they’ll need to get more out of their young players to replace his production.
2021 first-round pick Matthew Coronato, who was assigned to the AHL for a brief period earlier this season, seems to be the one who stands to benefit most from the increased opportunity. He’s quickly heating up with five goals and an assist through 10 games, recording 18 shots on goal while averaging 14:12 per game.
Thanks to his earlier IR placement, Mantha is already off the active roster, but his $3.5M cap hit is still in full effect. Given their $23.5M in current space, it’s unlikely the Flames will need increased financial flexibility, but they can move Mantha to long-term injured reserve at any time.
