from Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News,
Anthony Mantha bet on himself two years ago and the gamble might pay off handsomely this summer.
Then a restricted free agent, Mantha signed a two-year contract worth $6.6 million, preferring to do a short-term deal rather than sign anything long-term and take him off the unrestricted free agent market for many years.
Mantha and his representatives wanted the shorter deal, believing he had more within him – more goals, more assists, more impact. Mantha believed he was simply becoming a better player....
This summer, players slightly younger than Mantha – and not that far ahead of him statistically – were signing contracts in the range of $6 to $10 million per year, raising the bar on deals for young stars in the NHL.