Anthony Mantha reveals how close he came to signing with the Montreal Canadiens

The Montreal Canadiens have taken a very patient approach this offseason, particularly in free agency, with no notable players signed to this point. One player that the Canadiens reportedly had interest in was Anthony Mantha, who eventually would sign a two-year deal with the New Jersey Devils for $9.5 million.

On Friday, Mantha met with the media after signing with the Devils and was asked if the rumors were true that the Canadiens had expressed interest. He did confirm that it was the case and indicated it was the Canadiens who walked away instead of Mantha, according to the translations in the video.

“There was interest from Montreal in me and vice versa,” Mantha said. “But when it came time to talk numbers and years, there was never anything offered, so it was time for us to go in another direction. We still gave them time to call us back, and it was a good week, but nothing happened, and it was time to move on to another call.”

Did Montreal Canadiens make a mistake not signing Anthony Mantha?

It will be an interesting debate of whether or not the Canadiens should have signed the forward. This summer, Mantha was one of the top free agents but didn’t generate as much interest as expected due in part to his injury history and teams not willing to commit to a long-term deal.

However, on a two-year deal, this could have been a great way for Montreal to address their Top 6 and add another scoring punch to this offense. Last season, Mantha had 33 goals with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and there is a case to be made that the Canadiens have more talent among the forwards than Pittsburgh at this point that could have set Mantha up for another 30+ goal season.

The Canadiens have made it clear that they don’t want to add anyone who might block one of their younger players from reaching the NHL. On a two-year contract, though, Mantha could have been a perfect addition to address a need in the short-term that makes this year’s team better without really limiting the opportunity of any younger prospects.

At this point, there are really no players left in free agency that would be a clear improvement for their Top 6. If the Canadiens don’t make a trade between now and the start of the season, the team is going to have to rely on internal growth, which is a big question mark.