The New Jersey Devils Sign Anthony Mantha: A Beginner-Friendly Explanation

The Big News: A New Player for the Devils

The New Jersey Devils (a team in the top hockey league called the NHL) told everyone today that they have signed a player named Anthony Mantha to join their team.

Here are the simple details of his new work agreement (called a contract):

• It lasts two years.
• The total money is $9,500,000 (that’s 9.5 million dollars!).
• Each year on average, he will be paid $4,750,000.
• The money is split like this:
  1. For the season 2026-27: $5,400,000
  2. For the season 2027-28: $4,100,000
• The team’s boss (called General Manager), Sunny Mehta, made the announcement.

Important: This is a lot of money, but it’s normal for experienced players in the NHL. Mantha is a big player: he is 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 240 pounds!

Who Is Anthony Mantha? (Explained Simply)

Anthony Mantha is a 31-year-old hockey player from Longueuil, a city in Quebec, Canada. He was born on September 16, 1994.

In hockey, players use a stick to hit a puck into the other team’s net to score goals. If you help a teammate score, that’s called an assist. Add goals and assists together and you get points.

Mantha shoots with his left hand (like writing with your left hand). He is a forward, which means he mostly tries to score goals rather than defend.

Mantha’s Great Season Last Year

Last season (called 2025-26), Mantha played for the Pittsburgh Penguins (another NHL team). Let’s look at what he did:

• He played 81 games (out of about 82 possible).
• He scored 33 goals and helped with 31 assists, giving him 64 points total.
• This was the first time he scored 30+ goals in the NHL – a big milestone!
• All his numbers (goals, assists, points) were the best he has ever done in one season.
• His 33 goals were the most on his team (Pittsburgh).
• His 64 points were the third-best among Pittsburgh forwards (players who attack).
• He scored 7 power-play goals. A power-play happens when the other team has a player temporarily removed as a penalty, so Mantha’s team had more players on ice – easier to score. This was his most power-play goals since 2018-19 with Detroit.

Important: Scoring 30 goals in the NHL is very hard. Only good players do it!

Mantha’s Hockey Journey (Career Timeline)

Mantha didn’t start in the NHL. He moved through smaller leagues and teams. Here is a simple numbered list of his journey:

1. 2013: Detroit Red Wings (NHL team) picked him as the 20th player in the draft (like choosing a rookie).
2. 2014-15 to 2020-21: He played for Detroit’s organization, including their smaller league team (AHL) and the main NHL team. He scored 194 points in 302 games with Detroit.
3. 2017-18 to 2018-19: He scored 20+ goals each of those two seasons.
4. April 12, 2021: Traded (swapped) to Washington Capitals.
5. March 2024: Traded to Vegas Golden Knights.
6. July 1, 2024: Signed with Calgary Flames as an unrestricted free agent (a player free to choose any team).
7. Overall NHL stats: 367 points (179 goals, 188 assists) in 588 games since his first NHL game on March 15, 2016.

He also played in the Stanley Cup Playoffs (the big tournament to decide the NHL champion):

• 11 games with Washington (2020-21 to 2021-22)
• 3 games with Vegas (2023-24)
• 6 games with Pittsburgh last season

His Early Days and Junior Hockey Awards

Before the NHL, Mantha played in the QMJHL (a league for young players in Canada) for the Val-d’Or Foreurs from 2010-11 to 2013-14.

• He led that league with 50 goals in 2012-13.
• He led again with 57 goals in his final season.
• In that final season, he won:
  • Jean Beliveau Trophy (given to the player with most points)
  • Michel Briere Trophy (Most Valuable Player, like the best player)
  • Helped his team win the league title (Gilles-Courteau Trophy) with 24 goals in playoffs.
• He also played for Canada in international tournaments:
  • 2012 U-18 World Junior Championship: bronze medal
  • 2014 World Junior Championship
  • 2019 IIHF World Championship: silver medal

He also played in the AHL (another learning league) for Grand Rapids, Detroit’s partner team, scoring 88 points in 132 games.

Why This Signing Matters (Callout)

Key Takeaway: The Devils are getting a tall, experienced player who can score goals and has played in important playoff games. His size (6’5", 240 lbs) makes him strong on the ice. He had a career-best season recently, so fans hope he keeps doing well.

Summary

To sum up:

• The New Jersey Devils signed Anthony Mantha for 2 years, $9.5 million total.
• He is 31, from Canada, a left-shooting forward.
• Last season with Pittsburgh he had 64 points (33 goals, 31 assists) – his best ever.
• He has played for Detroit, Washington, Vegas, Calgary, and Pittsburgh over his career.
• He won many awards in junior hockey and represented Canada internationally.
• He brings playoff experience and a big body to the Devils.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

1. What does “points” mean in hockey?
Points are the total of goals (when you put the puck in the net) plus assists (when you help a teammate score). It shows how much a player helped their team score.

2. What is a power-play goal?
Sometimes a player on the other team breaks a rule and has to sit out for a few minutes. Then one team has more players on the ice. A goal scored during that time is a “power-play goal.”

3. What is an unrestricted free agent?
It means a player’s old contract ended and he is free to sign with any team he chooses, like picking a new school.

4. What is the QMJHL?
It’s a league in Canada for junior (young) hockey players, kind of like a high school or college league, where they train before maybe joining the NHL.

5. Why is Mantha’s size mentioned?
He is very tall (6’5") and heavy (240 lbs) for a hockey player, which helps him be strong and hard to push around on the ice.