Detroit Red Wings: Mantha has found himself in Blashill’s Doghouse Again

Although the Detroit Red Wings were finally able to win their first game of the season, it seems Anthony Mantha has found himself back in head coach Jeff Blashill’s doghouse.

The Detroit Red Wings were really expected to count on Anthony Mantha this season.  Jeff Blashill seems to have another agenda for the young forward.  It has been known Mantha is not Blashill’s favorite forward over the years.

The big power forward seems to be struggling to find his confidence and get into any type of groove.  Mantha who led the Detroit Red Wings in goals last season with 24 has been skating on the fourth line the last two games.

In Tampa Bay Mantha was written down on the lineup card as a fourth line winger along with Thomas Vanek.  They actually played like the third line though.  In Florida, the pair again would flank Christoffer Ehn written in as the fourth line.  This time they would skate as the fourth line which is a major disappointment.

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Vanek and Mantha combined for 48 goals last season and have been struggling to find consistent 5 on 5 play this season for Jeff Blashill.  Of course, early on in the season Mantha skated alongside of Dylan Larkin on the top line and was able to record 3 points in the first 6 games.  Since then Mantha has worked his way down the lineup card.

Trust me, it matters.  A player walks into the locker room before the start of the game and looks at the lineup posted on the whiteboard or taped near the entrance.  It is very similar to players in baseball checking the batting order.  A guy who hits typically at the top or middle of the lineup finds himself hitting 9th because he is slumping is similar to a guy skating as a top 6 forward now moved to the bottom line.

Before the Florida Panthers game, Mantha was unable to eclipse 15 minutes of ice-time in three straight contests.  Last night in Florida Mantha played a whopping 8:24 minutes.  That is unacceptable.  I understand the team won, but how does Mantha year after year end up in Blashill’s doghouse?

Other forwards have struggled to perform statistically, but all seem to find themselves playing much more than Anthony Mantha.  Justin Abdelkader has 1 assist in 8 games but plays more minutes a night than Mantha.  I don’t understand the thinking behind the decision.

Is Mantha a great defensive forward? No.  Mantha playing alongside Frans Nielsen or Dylan Larkin who are both reliable defensive centers allows others to focus on scoring goals. Thomas Vanek played 10:30 last night.  So the Wings played their two best goal scorers a combined 18:54 on the night.  Frans Nielsen played 19:28.

At times Mantha forgets to move his feet, and his big stride may look like he is being a bit lazy but maybe coach him up?  Maybe double shift him and force him to get going.  It is time for Blashill to take a different approach rather than continue to decrease playing minutes.

Mantha is close to being a healthy scratch the way Blashill is handling this.  He is starting to get the Martin Frk, Evgeny Svechnikov treatment from the head coach and it is beginning to be quite alarming.