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Hockeytown0001

Jim Devellano on Mantha's play: "Very disappointing"

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http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/red-wings-top-prospect-mantha-very-disappointing-says-detroit-senior-vp-devellano/

In his first season of professional hockey, Detroit Red Wings prospect Anthony Mantha scored 15 goals and 33 points with the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins, and that’s after suffering a broken leg in training camp and missing nearly two months. As great as Mantha’s season may seem, however, Detroit senior vice president Jim Devellano isn’t happy with what he’s seen.

“Very, very, very disappointing,” Devellano told Fox Sports’ Keith Gave. “And I say that with a lot of sadness. Coming out of junior, we had such high hopes for him.”

The comments came after the Griffins completed a comeback from a 2-0 series deficit to take the five-game first-round series over the Toronto Marlies with a 3-1 victory Sunday evening. They’ve been the cause of some confusion, though, because before the season had begun, it appeared as though Mantha was going to make the Detroit roster. It was the broken leg which sidelined him and put a damper on those hopes.

Gave noted that Devellano took in the final three games of the Griffins’ first-round series, the three contests which the Detroit affiliate won. However, in the three victories, Mantha managed just three shots on goal and, for what it’s worth, had a plus-minus rating of +1.

Mantha, 20, was selected 20th overall by the Red Wings in the 2013 draft and is one season removed from a 57-goal, 120-point QMJHL campaign in which he averaged a goal per game and played for Team Canada at the World Junior Championship. A big bodied winger that stands 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds, Mantha has suited up for all five post-season games for the Griffins, but has only registered one assist. His single point came in Grand Rapids’ 7-4 Game 1 loss.

As part of The Hockey News’ annual Future Watch issue, Mantha was the sixth ranked prospect, up from No. 10 in the 2014 edition. In Future Watch, he was the top ranked prospect in the Detroit system, ahead of other notable players such as Dylan Larkin, Teemu Pulkkinen and Xavier Ouellet.

Mantha’s name has been mentioned in trade rumors throughout the year, most notably in discussions between Toronto and Detroit regarding Maple Leafs blueliner Dion Phaneuf. It was reported that the Red Wings were hesitant to pull the trigger on any deal involving Mantha.

:g::g:

Edited by Hockeytown0001

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http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/red-wings-top-prospect-mantha-very-disappointing-says-detroit-senior-vp-devellano/

In his first season of professional hockey, Detroit Red Wings prospect Anthony Mantha scored 15 goals and 33 points with the AHLs Grand Rapids Griffins, and thats after suffering a broken leg in training camp and missing nearly two months. As great as Manthas season may seem, however, Detroit senior vice president Jim Devellano isnt happy with what hes seen.

Very, very, very disappointing, Devellano told Fox Sports Keith Gave. And I say that with a lot of sadness. Coming out of junior, we had such high hopes for him.

The comments came after the Griffins completed a comeback from a 2-0 series deficit to take the five-game first-round series over the Toronto Marlies with a 3-1 victory Sunday evening. Theyve been the cause of some confusion, though, because before the season had begun, it appeared as though Mantha was going to make the Detroit roster. It was the broken leg which sidelined him and put a damper on those hopes.

Gave noted that Devellano took in the final three games of the Griffins first-round series, the three contests which the Detroit affiliate won. However, in the three victories, Mantha managed just three shots on goal and, for what its worth, had a plus-minus rating of +1.

Mantha, 20, was selected 20th overall by the Red Wings in the 2013 draft and is one season removed from a 57-goal, 120-point QMJHL campaign in which he averaged a goal per game and played for Team Canada at the World Junior Championship. A big bodied winger that stands 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds, Mantha has suited up for all five post-season games for the Griffins, but has only registered one assist. His single point came in Grand Rapids 7-4 Game 1 loss.

As part of The Hockey News annual Future Watch issue, Mantha was the sixth ranked prospect, up from No. 10 in the 2014 edition. In Future Watch, he was the top ranked prospect in the Detroit system, ahead of other notable players such as Dylan Larkin, Teemu Pulkkinen and Xavier Ouellet.

Manthas name has been mentioned in trade rumors throughout the year, most notably in discussions between Toronto and Detroit regarding Maple Leafs blueliner Dion Phaneuf. It was reported that the Red Wings were hesitant to pull the trigger on any deal involving Mantha.

:g::g:

I hope his "very very very disappointing" year doesn't entice them to trade him as a knee jerk reaction especially for Phaneuf

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Yeah, trading him after one mediocre season after coming off a broken leg at age 19/20 doesn't sound like the red wings way.. seems like this is more to try to get Mantha working harder in the playoffs and motivating him to work hard this off season. Hopefully he realizes the potential he has.

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I'm gonna give Jimmy D the benefit of the doubt here. I would be highly surprised if that was the exact quote. I'm also wondering the context of the quote. Certainly wouldn't be the first time a reporter eff'd those two things up for the sake of grabbing eyeballs, but it would certainly be one of the VERY few times I've seen Red Wings management criticize a player in such a blatant manner. Something seems off about it.

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Pretty stupid comments by him no matter his intentions. There are much better ways to motivate a player than by completely dismissing him after one half of one pro season.

He played over 80% of the regular season games and all of the playoff games so far.

I'm not necessarily in support of the comment - at the least, the "very, very, very" could have been excluded. But, 'disappointing' seems... appropriate. Who knows what motivates this kid, though? Maybe it lights a fire under him and he lights Rockford up in the next series.

Edited by barabbas16

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He played over 80% of the regular season games and all of the playoff games so far.

I'm not necessarily in support of the comment - at the least, the "very, very, very" could have been excluded. But, 'disappointing' seems... appropriate. Who knows what motivates this kid, though? Maybe it lights a fire under him and he lights Rockford up in the next series.

62 of 82 is between 75 and 76%.

He played 3/4ths of the season while trying to come back from a broken leg and adjust to pro level hockey. His stats (62gp,13g,18a,33pts) are actually really similar to Tatar's (58gp,16g,16a, 32pts) first year in GR. I'm not overly worried yet.

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Yes it has been a disappointing season for Mantha. But the jump from juniors to pro's is a very large one. Add in the broken leg and missed training camp and we shouldn't be surprised. I am also not worried. All reports from inside the griffins are very positive. He works hard and wants to become a star. I would bet it happens.

lets go back a few years. Primeau wasn't a star right away either. it took him time to develop. Shanny had 26 points in his first pro season-in the NHL. Jeff Carter has 42, 37, and then 53 points in his first 3 seasons. Point is, it takes guys time to develop.

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62 of 82 is between 75 and 76%.

He played 3/4ths of the season while trying to come back from a broken leg and adjust to pro level hockey. His stats (62gp,13g,18a,33pts) are actually really similar to Tatar's (58gp,16g,16a, 32pts) first year in GR. I'm not overly worried yet.

Your math is correct. However, the Griffins did not play 82 regular season games. They played 76. 62 of 76 is between 82 and 83%.

Either way, calling it one half of a season is simply false.

Edited by barabbas16

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This franchise never calls out players publicly for playing like garbage, and they pick on this kid?

How about calling out Smith or Nyquist the last few playoffs? How about calling out Weiss or Kindl?

I think the difference is those are Red Wings players and he is a griffin who has been massively disappointing. Publicly calling out your own NHL player is a very non classy no no in most cases. Calling out an under performing AHLer who was predicted to not even be in the AHL is a different story.

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