Anthony Mantha first became recognizable in the National Hockey League at the young age of 18 years old. It was at that age that he stated he was ready to be drafted into the Detroit Red Wings. Three years later, he finds himself on the rink with the Red Wings. Those three years of preparation were exactly what he needed to mature enough to become a Detroit Red Wing.
The man stepping onto the rink now is an incredible asset to the team. Not only is he a good athlete, and an overall phenomenal hockey player, he is also not afraid to go after the puck. Mantha was put on the ice with this team at an important point in the season, and has already helped the Red Wings celebrate a victory. He is confident in his offensive tactics, and uses his bulky frame to intimidate players on the opposite team as he makes his way down the court.
If he had been let onto the ice with the team when he initially desired, Mantha may not have been the same asset to the team he is today. He was gunning for a roster spot in 2013, but suffered a broken tibia and had to spend a couple of months away from hockey. This was a setback that only made him a stronger player. However, another blow to his ego came when he switched from playing with the juniors to playing against seasoned athletes. He realized, as many do, that the two were starkly different. He found a whole other level of maturity against the older hockey players, and that threw off his confidence a great deal. The public became less convinced that he was worth the investment, for one, and even some executives lost confidence in him.
Thankfully, Mantha was able to overcome this adversity and come out a stronger, more confident hockey player. Instead of giving up, he used the criticism of others to become a more aggressive player and push himself forward.
The Red Wings picked him up in 2013 and have closely watched his performance since then. It took him a little bit of time to fully cultivate his confidence on the rink, but he now goes after the puck with abandon. This is a trait that is common to players who are new on a team, as more time on the rink has team members hesitating due to potential consequences of their actions.
This, of course, does not mean that Mantha has it all figured out. He needs to work on his defensive maneuvers, as well as learn that there are consequences to all of his actions. Some risks may not be worth the entire game. However, I truly believe that this was the right time to let Mantha out on the rink with the Red Wings. He believes in himself, and knows how to train to be a hockey pro and, therefore, is an incredible asset to this already amazing team.