Anthony Mantha returns tonight for the Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings forward Anthony Mantha is expected to return tonight after being sidelined for the last month nursing a broken hand.

When number 39 hops over the boards for the first time in a month tonight, it will come as a welcoming site for the Detroit Red Wings.  The team has been struggling mightily since Anthony Mantha broke his hand during a fight while he was defending teammate Dylan Larkin.

The injury to Mantha left an already teetering offense staggering. Granted Mantha isn’t Alex Ovechkin or Auston Matthews but on the Detroit Red Wings roster, he is one of the top scoring threats and plays as a top-six forward.

With Mantha out since December 2nd, Jeff Blashill has had to try and navigate his way through a gridlocked lineup of underwhelming talent.  He’s been able to find a spark on the top line with Gustav Nyquist flanking star forward Dylan Larkin.

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Mantha was penciled in regularly on the top line beside Larks, but tonight he will play with Thomas Vanek who is in dire need of talented forwards around him to get him going offensively.  Frans Nielsen will start as the center on this line.

After breaking his hand on the face of the Colorado Avalanche’s Patrik Nemeth, Anthony Mantha mentioned he would not stop fighting.  It was the second time Mantha broke his hand during a tilt.  The other time was during a scrap with now-teammate Luke Witkowski.  Luke was a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning at the time of that particular incident.

I wouldn’t say “never” fight again, but Mantha is much too valuable to this franchise to be out for an extended period of time.  He should resist the urge to scrap knowing what has happened to him twice now.  I’m not sure if he throws his fists square or if he’s closing his hand correctly or maybe it was just back luck.  Whatever it is, it can’t happen again.

Hockey is hockey, and perhaps something dirty could happen, and Mantha could be enticed to defend a teammate again.  If a teammate is on the receiving end of a dirty hit Mantha may be in a position to throw fists again.  I don’t have a problem with him getting in the odd fight if the circumstances call for it, but still, I hope he shy’s away from it in the future.

The risk of injury in any professional sport is high, why add more risk if it is preventable.  In 27 games this season he’s recorded 9 goals and added 5 assists totaling 14 points.  He is a minus -8 on the season but leading up to the injury he was playing well.  He had his feet moving; he was working hard in both the offensive and defensive zone.

The one bright side of returning after a hand injury, he should be in terrific shape and ready to go.  In a corresponding roster move to make room for Mantha, the Detroit Red Wings have sent Wade Megan back down to the Grand Rapid Griffins.