Oilers Would Be Smart to Avoid Mantha Trade With Capitals

Mantha would be a pure rental player who would likely leave after the conclusion of the 2023-24 season. His current contract is worth $5.7 million, which will be tough for the Oilers to bring into their lineup with just over $2 million to play with, even if the Capitals choose to retain 50% of his salary. While this has been a strong bounceback season for Mantha, who has scored 18 goals and added 14 assists for 32 points through 54 games so far, he still hasn’t been playing his best hockey and doesn’t seem like somebody who would fit the Oilers’ scheme.

Last season, Mantha only had 27 points, so this season has been a nice comeback-type campaign for him. Unfortunately, he still hasn’t been strong defensively and has continuously shown he is a good depth player offensively, but has problems in the defensive end. If the trades of Sean Monahan to the Winnipeg Jets and Elias Lindholm to the Vancouver Canucks are hints of what the asking price of Mantha could be, the Oilers need to stay away. Lindholm brought the Calgary Flames a total of five assets in return while Monahan brought the Montreal Canadiens a first-round pick and a conditional third-round pick.

While the Capitals are in sell mode and know with Mantha’s contract it may be difficult to maximize a return, it still wouldn’t be out of the question for them to request multiple assets in return. The only leverage the Oilers may have is that they know the Capitals will likely be letting him walk at the end of the season regardless, so they shouldn’t have to pay too much. However, that’s never a guarantee and the Caps could continue to hold out in hopes of bringing in at least a second-round pick for Mantha.

Which Teams Could Acquire Mantha?

The Oilers being connected to Mantha makes sense, as they need to find extra scoring in their lineup on a nightly basis and he can provide that. He would be someone who could give them a boost alongside Leon Draisaitl, assuming they acquired him and put him in the top six, but he isn’t the best option available. The Oilers aren’t the only team that could look to bring in Mantha, as teams like the Pittsburgh Penguins, Carolina Hurricanes, and Vegas Golden Knights could all look to add a scorer for their playoff run.

The Penguins have struggled in a big way this season and should be doing everything they can to bolster their roster in hopes of making it to the playoffs this season, and Mantha could be someone who helps their scoring issues. The Golden Knights have some freed-up cap space from their long-term injured reserve (LTIR) and could make a splash, and adding Mantha as a rental could give them one of the most dangerous forward groups in the NHL when Jack Eichel and Mark Stone return from injury. The Hurricanes are rumoured to be focusing on adding at the trade deadline, and Mantha could add firepower to their already lethal forward lines.

Any of these teams would be a better fit for Mantha than the Oilers, and they will all likely at least inquire about his availability. The Oilers are back in action tonight in a battle against the St. Louis Blues, and will be looking to build off of their big win in their previous game against the Los Angeles Kings.