Anthony Mantha has Martin St-Louis weighing a short-term Canadiens bet that suddenly feels more real.
The big detail in the latest update is not that teams are calling. It is that Montreal and Philadelphia appear most interested in a smaller-term deal, while Toronto and the Rangers are still hanging around in the background.
That split makes sense because Mantha is coming off the best year of his NHL career, but he is still unsigned in mid-July. Players do not stay on the board this long after a 33-goal, 64-point season unless term or price is getting in the way.
Montreal's side of it has been clear for days. Reports around the Canadiens say the club likes the player, but only on a very short-term contract, while Mantha is looking for more security than that.
That gap is the whole story. Kent Hughes can talk himself into the winger, but not necessarily into the commitment.
And the player is easy to like on paper. Mantha is 31, shoots right, stands 6-foot-5, and just posted 33 goals and 31 assists in 81 games with Pittsburgh.
For Montreal, that kind of size and finishing would help right away. St-Louis has a club that can use another proven forward touch, especially one who can live in a top 9 without needing every shift built around him. That is an inference from Mantha's profile and Montreal's reported short-term interest.
" Anthony Mantha Update #FreeAgent
Canadiens and Flyers seem to be most interested in a smaller term deal with Leafs / Rangers also involved #NHLRumors "
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Four teams remain in the hunt for top free agent Anthony Mantha
Philadelphia's angle feels simpler. Rick Tocchet is coaching a team that has room to add attack, and a shorter deal on Mantha would let the Flyers chase goals without getting tied up deep into his 30s.
That is why the Flyers belong near the front of this race. A club looking for offense can sell Mantha ice time, opportunity, and a contract structure that still protects the future.
The Leafs and Rangers being involved also tracks. Toronto is still looking for more scoring punch under Jim Hiller, and the Rangers are the kind of team that will always sniff around a veteran winger who can fill the net if the price drops into a manageable range.
But those 2 clubs feel more like options than favorites right now. The center of gravity in this market looks shorter-term, and that pushes Montreal and Philadelphia to the front.
That does not mean Montreal is the best bet. It only means the Canadiens are still in it if Mantha's camp softens on term.
And that is the pressure point now. Anthony Mantha already proved he can still score. The next question is whether he values years more than fit, because the teams showing the most interest right now do not seem eager to hand him both.
Should the Canadiens beat the Flyers to Anthony Mantha on a short-term deal?
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