Ex-Red Wing successfully gets revenge on former club

On Thursday, one former forward enacted revenge against the Detroit Red Wings.

With a 4-3 victory, Anthony Mantha, a former 1st-round pick of the Original Six team, helped the Pittsburgh Penguins cement their dominance that day.

He added an assist that night on Sidney Crosby's goal at 4:08 in the 1st-period that night.

Anthony Mantha was selected by the Detroit Red Wings 20th overall in the 2014 NHL Draft. He'd begin his career in the NHL as a power forward and play 302 games in the winged wheel, scoring 194 points (95-99).

His 6-year tenure with the Red Wings wasn't successful and would lead to his trade to the Washington Capitals during the 2020-21 COVID-shortened season.

Mantha's departure would be a chance for General Manager Steve Yzerman to stack talent and draft assets, gaining two picks, with Richard Panik and Jakub Vrana joining the fold in a trade.

Since then, he's found himself moving around the league, playing with the Washington Capitals, Calgary Flames, Vegas Golden Knights, and Pittsburgh Penguins

Mantha recorded an assist on Sidney Crosby's goal on Thursday; he contributed to his former team's loss in the first game of a back-to-back.

He's found a way to rejuvenate his game playing with the Capitals during the 2023-24 season, scoring 20 goals and 34 points that season. He leveraged that production to find new contracts as a depth forward with the Vegas Golden Knights and Calgary Flames.

It wasn't until he found a spot with the Pittsburgh Penguins playing in the team's top nine under coach Dan Muse.

In 40 games this season, he's scored 28 points (14-14) as a middle-six forward on a rebuilding Pittsburgh Penguins team.

The Red Wings' painful two-game loss against the Penguins resulted in the top line being called out by Todd McLellan. A victory for Mantha, exacting the final revenge on a team that traded him long ago.

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