Capitals deal for young scorer Mantha in deadline with Wings
The Washington Capitals made a major move Monday afternoon shortly before the NHL’s trade deadline, acquiring right wing Anthony Mantha from Detroit for wingers Jakub Vrana and Richard Panik, a 2021 first-round draft pick and a 2022 secondround pick.
It was the biggest deal of the deadline and will have longterm effects for the Capitals. Mantha, 26, is a 6-5, 234-pounder known for his scoring ability. He is also signed through the 2023-24 season with a $5.7 million average annual value.
He had 11 goals and 10 assists in 42 games for Detroit this season, coming off a 2019-20 season in which he scored 16 goals with 22 assists in 43 games. Since making his NHL debut in 2015, he has 95 goals and 99 assists in 302 games.
Vrana, 25, had 11 goals and 14 assists for the Capitals this season. Vrana, who was part of the Capitals’ 2018 Stanley Cup title run, is set to become a restricted free agent this summer. He was in the final year of a two-year, $6.7 million bridge deal.
Meanwhile, the bangedup Boston Bruins got a boost for their playoff push Monday by acquiring forward Taylor Hall ina trade with the Buffalo Sabres.
The Bruins also added checking line forward Curtis Lazar, who has missed the past six games with an upper body injury. Buffalo acquired fourth-year forward Anders Bjork and a second-round pick in a deal completed before the NHL’s trade deadline.
As part of the deal, the Sabres agreed to retain half he remainder of Hall’s one-year, $8 million salary. The NHL’s 2018 MVP was deemed expendable by last-place Buffalo, which is already retooling for beyond this season.
“I still believe in myself as a player. I still feel like I can add things to a team. … That’s what makes me really excited,” Hall said. “I really just want to be part of a winning team. However I can do that, I’m all-in.”
Among other moves at the relatively quiet trade deadline, the Pittsburgh Penguins acquired forward Jeff Carter from the Los Angeles Kings for a pair of conditional draft picks. Carter, 36, has played 16 years in the NHL with the past nine-plus seasons coming with the Kings, whom he helped to a pair of Stanley Cup titles.
MONDAY’S GAMES
Red Wings 3, Hurricanes
● 1: Adam Erne, Filip Zadina and Sam Gagner
scored in the third period to lift Detroit at Carolina.
Jonathan Bernier made 37 saves and Michael Rasmussen had two assists for the Red Wings (15-23-6), who swept the two-game set after a 5-4 shootout win on Saturday.
Jordan Staal had an assist in his 1,000 NHL game, and Nino Niederreiter scored for the Hurricanes (27-10-4). James Reimer made 27 saves.
Senators 4, Jets
●
2: Connor Brown extended his goal streak to eight games, and host
Ottawa defeated Winnipeg.
Brown's goal streak is the longest in Ottawa history and tied for the 11th longest in the NHL since the 1990-91 season.
Brady Tkachuk had two goals, Josh Norris and
Thomas Chabot each had two assists, and Anton Forsberg made 24 saves for the Senators (14-25-4), who ended a four-game losing streak.
The Red Wings took a 1-0 lead at 24 seconds of the third period. Rasmussen drove the right wing and circled the net before making a backhand feed across the crease to Erne for a tap-in at the right post.
Kyle Connor and Nikolaj Ehlers scored, and
Connor Hellebuyck made 20 saves for the Jets (25-14-3), who had won three in a row.
Connor gave Winnipeg a 1-0 lead at 5:00 of the first period with a one-timer off a pass from Josh Morrissey on the power play. Ehlers then scored with a wrist shot under Forsberg's glove on a rush to make it 2-0 at 8:25.
Blackhawks 4, Blue
●
Jackets 3 (OT): Brandon Hagel
scored at 1:25 of overtime to give Chicago a win at Columbus.
Brett Connolly scored in his Blackhawks debut,
Patrick Kane had two assists and Kevin Lankinen made 30 saves for Chicago (20-18-5), which swept the two-game set and has won three of four.
The Blackhawks finished the season 6-2-0 against the Blue Jackets, including winning the final five games.
Patrik Laine scored two goals, and Joonas Korpisalo made 30 saves for Columbus (15-20-9), which has lost three in a row and 10 of its past 12 games (2-8-2).