Red Wings Nearly Reunited With Former Fan Favorite

Tuesday, August 18, 2026 ,
The Detroit Red Wings came close to bringing Anthony Mantha back home this summer, and the deal fell apart in the final step.

Per the Detroit Free Press, the Red Wings had a deal in place earlier this offseason to reunite with Mantha, but it collapsed while awaiting ownership approval. Mantha instead signed a two-year contract with the New Jersey Devils.

A Deal That Got Right To The Finish Line

The specifics of why ownership never signed off haven't been made public, but a framework was reportedly agreed to, only to stall at the final internal step before Mantha moved on and found a home elsewhere.

Mantha had a career-best 2025-26 season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, scoring 31 goals, 33 assists, and 64 points, but has also had a history of injuries and inconsistency, which is probably the reason he lingered on the market as long as he did.

Homecoming That Would Have Made Sense

The Red Wings selected Mantha 20th overall in the 2013 draft, and he spent nearly six seasons with the organization, debuting in 2015-16 before being traded to the Washington Capitals in 2021 as part of the deal that brought back Jakub Vrana and a first-round pick.

Since leaving Detroit, Mantha has bounced through stops with Washington, Vegas, and most recently Pittsburgh, never quite recapturing the offensive upside that made him a first-round pick, until last season's bounce-back with the Penguins reestablished his value around the league.

The Red Wings have been engaged in a very public search for scoring help all summer as they navigate the Dylan Larkin trade request and try to figure out how to improve an offense that's struggled in recent seasons.

Instead, Detroit watches Mantha start a new chapter in New Jersey.

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