While the bad news for the Montreal Canadiens was that their attempt at securing a berth in the Stanley Cup Final for what would have been the first time since 2021 fell just short, the good news is that they appear poised to be contenders in the competitive Atlantic Division for years to come with their core pieces all locked up to long-term, team-friendly contracts.
And while the Canadiens did acquire former New York Rangers draft selection Brett Berard, they’d also been linked to Ottawa Senators forward Claude Giroux, who ultimately chose to re-sign in Ottawa. They’ve also been linked to both Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Speaking of Penguins players that the Canadiens are linked to, one current unrestricted free agent that is still looking for a contract for next season and who is also coming off a career-best season could present an intriguing option for Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes to consider.
The Montreal Canadiens Have Been Linked To UFA Forward And Quebec Native Anthony Mantha
According to BPM Sports Radio analyst Marc-Olivier Beaudoin, the Canadiens have shown interest in signing Mantha on a short-term deal.
He also notes that Mantha’s reported desire for a longer-term deal could potentially hamper his chances of landing in Montreal, but given the nature of professional sports contracts, things could change very quickly.
“I’m told that the (Canadiens) has shown interest in Anthony Mantha’s services,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “That said, we’re talking about a willingness to team up on a (very) short-term basis, while Mantha would be looking for a medium/long-term contract. The chances of Mantha signing in Montreal are therefore quite slim, but knowing that things can change quickly in hockey, it remains a (slight) possibility. To be continued!”
Pittsburgh rolled the dice on Anthony Mantha after the veteran winger missed nearly all of the previous season with Calgary because of a torn ACL suffered in October 2024.
The gamble paid off in a big way, as Mantha came through with the best output of his career, scoring a personal-best 33 goals while adding 31 assists and surpassing the 30-goal plateau for the first time.
Mantha is coming off a one-year, $2.5 million contract, and understandably is looking for more security and a pay raise in his next contract. Right now, the Canadiens have just over $13 million available in remaining cap space for the upcoming 2026-27 NHL season.
Penguins GM Kyle Dubas Implied That Mantha Won’t Be Back With The Club Next Season
During his season-ending media availability in early May, Penguins GM Kyle Dubas implied that Mantha was essentially as good as gone.
“I talked directly to Anthony in his exit interview,” Dubas said on May 12. “I haven’t had any discussions with his agent. He was pretty clear with me what his intentions are, and I think that’s private and personal for him. It’s not on me to say that here publicly, but we’ll see how all the other things materialize, and then we can always circle back.”
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