On Tuesday, Anthony Mantha could have his dad on the Saddledome as he skates within the five hundredth sport of his profession
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There are a few main milestones that stand out for NHLers.
We’re speaking about video games performed, and attending to 1,000 is big. We’ll see that when Mikael Backlund hits quadruple digits, which is ready to occur on Oct. 30 in Utah.
And customarily, attending to 100 video games means you’ve made it — and 500 video games is an enormous one, too.
On Tuesday, Anthony Mantha could have his dad on the Saddledome because the winger is ready to skate within the five hundredth sport of his NHL profession when the Flames host the Pittsburgh Penguins. It’s an enormous deal.
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However in Mantha’s eyes, there’s all the time one milestone that stands proud.
“You forgot about No. 1,” Mantha mentioned with a smile. “Your first might be the most important one. I believe it’s primary and 1,000 after which for me, it’s in all probability 500. It’s Yr 10 for me and it feels longer with all of the video games I missed, however we nonetheless received right here and I’ll take pleasure in it.
“Whenever you begin within the NHL you don’t know what number of video games you’ll play and also you undoubtedly don’t know when you’ll get to 500. They’re good milestones.”
Mantha’s received a variety of reminiscences within the financial institution from the 499 NHL video games he’s performed in his profession, however he’s honest when he says that his first sport in the perfect hockey league on the earth sticks with him.
He vividly remembers the sport — on March 15, 2016, after he was known as up by the Detroit Crimson Wings — and one play particularly in the course of the street contest in opposition to the Philadelphia Flyers.
“I hit a submit on a breakaway in opposition to Philly, that’s what I bear in mind,” Mantha mentioned. “My household was all on the town and a few my buddies, too, and I want I had that breakaway again and put it in.”
He’s put the puck behind the online loads of instances since, scoring 144 objectives and including 156 assists all through his profession.
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And he’s seeking to make many extra reminiscences now that he’s taking part in with the Calgary Flames.
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Signed to a one-year contract on the opening day of free company this previous summer time, Mantha has already made a mark with the shocking Flames taking part in alongside Jonathan Huberdeau and Martin Pospisil.
He recorded a Gordie Howe hat trick of their season opener in opposition to the Vancouver Canucks, and has scored two objectives and added two assists in 5 video games to this point, because the Flames have shot out to a 4-0-1 report.
The problem for Mantha goes to be taking what he’s carried out early within the marketing campaign and doing it sport after sport all season lengthy. Consistency has been the 30-year-old’s largest problem all through his 499-game profession, in any case.
“He’s a greater participant when his toes are transferring,” mentioned Flames head coach Ryan Huska. “He’s an enormous man that’s onerous to deal with. If he’s controlling the puck and he’s driving defencemen wider and attending to the online with out the puck, he’s a really harmful participant.
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“I believe among the conversations we’ve had with him are about consistency. We wish him to be a man who makes an affect each evening. I do know you’re not going to have your A-game each evening, however when you’re off just a little bit, it ought to nonetheless be a B+ sport.”
To date, Mantha appears to be assembly these expectations. There have been questions on how his new line would work, particularly as a result of Pospisil had by no means performed centre within the NHL previous to this season.
However the early returns have been constructive. Even within the Flames’ 2-1 additional time loss to the Seattle Kraken on Saturday evening, the trio created possibilities and have been onerous on the puck in a sport the place offensive area was onerous to return by.
“It’s solely 4 video games, proper? It’s a tiny part of the yr,” Mantha mentioned. “For me, proper now, I’m going game-by-game and that’s my mentality and I simply need to give my greatest.”
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