Capitals trade Mantha to Golden Knights for 2 picks

The notoriously massive Vegas Golden Knights just got bigger.

The Washington Capitals traded 6-foot-5 winger Anthony Mantha to the defending Stanley Cup champions for a 2024 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-rounder, the teams announced.

Mantha is a pending unrestricted free agent carrying a $5.7-million cap hit, but the Capitals are retaining 50% of his salary.

The 29-year-old is in the midst of a resurgent campaign. Mantha has recorded 20 goals and 14 assists in 56 games this season while averaging just 14:09 per contest. His underlying numbers are off the charts, too.

While Mantha has been a strong play-driver throughout his career, this is his first 20-goal season since he bagged a career-high 25 with the Detroit Red Wings in 2018-19. Injuries have plagued him in his nine NHL campaigns, as he's logged 70 games in a season just once. However, he's only missed four contests this campaign.

Despite his huge frame, Mantha isn't overly physical and has registered just 31 hits this season.

While Mantha has the skill set to play up and down the lineup, he's a logical fit to link up with William Karlsson on Vegas' second line.

The Golden Knights' search for help up front has been no secret since it was reported that captain Mark Stone will miss the remainder of the regular season and is questionable for the playoffs. Even after the Mantha deal, Vegas still has room to make further moves with Stone's $9.5-million cap hit on LTIR.

The Capitals, meanwhile, are set to be sellers as they enter Tuesday's slate with just a 6% chance of making the playoffs, per MoneyPuck. Mantha was the team's biggest rental trade chip, but fellow pending UFAs Max Pacioretty, Nicolas Aube-Kubel, and Joel Edmundson should garner plenty of interest, too.