Anthony Mantha - Is he worth stashing, but taking a roster spot?

[Rover]

I'm in a deep H2H 20 team, 500 players league, so the FA pool is slim pickings. It uses a custom scoring points system, so each player will add some points usually even if they don't score (ie shots, hits, blocks, etc). Some weeks can be close and I lost one week by about 2 points. Do you guys think he'll be called up soon, like by the end of dec and is worth using up a spot because there's no one with that sleeper potential in the FA pool and I fear if I wait till he actually gets called up, I'll miss out. I'd be dropping someone like chimera who has only added like 21 points or so the entire year. I love mantha's potential so much though, so figure it might be worth it to stash him even for like 4 weeks or so and just hope my team will be ok with that wasted roster spot.

[STONE.]

I don't know that he'll get the call -- unless injuries force their hand.
He'll hopefully light up Grand Rapids for a bit first.

[ericdaoust]

I think this is more of a reach than anything in a one-year league.

[Rover]

Yeah, it is a reach and I'm going to think about it some more because I know he was set to make the wings team before he got injured just to see how he would do, so don't know how long his ahl stay will be. Maybe I'm just dreaming about him having a nyquist type impact like last year...well maybe not to that extent.

[Magicstew]

Think you can wait a few weeks to see how he does in minors.

[ericdaoust]

I know he was set to make the wings team before he got injured

Was he? I know there was a lot of overhyping going on but I don't remember any certainty that he would be on the Wings this year.

[Rover]

Was he? I know there was a lot of overhyping going on but I don't remember any certainty that he would be on the Wings this year.

This was the quote I remember reading about before he got injured from Kris Draper, Detroit's special assistant to the general manager.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=730054

"He'll get an opportunity, whether it's playing on the wing with [Pavel Datsyuk] or [Henrik Zetterberg]. But he's going to get an opportunity to play with one of those guys. Then it's really up to him," Draper said. "We all feel Anthony is a special player and somebody who has earned an opportunity to make the big club."

Babcock sounds luke warm about him right now though, but could also just be standard talk about not thinking about players not on the current team.

http://www.freep.com/videos/sports/n...1/13/18973443/

[ericdaoust]

"He'll get an opportunity, whether it's playing on the wing with [Pavel Datsyuk] or [Henrik Zetterberg]. But he's going to get an opportunity to play with one of those guys. Then it's really up to him," Draper said. "We all feel Anthony is a special player and somebody who has earned an opportunity to make the big club."

That is not an assurance of him being on the Wings. He was being given this opportunity during preseason. No guarantees here.

[snipshow101]

I don't know that he'll get the call -- unless injuries force their hand.
He'll hopefully light up Grand Rapids for a bit first.

I agree with this. The wings are against playing young guys, even if they deserve a spot. Very annoying as a fan.

I wouldn't be suprised if he doesn't get the call unless he absolutely lights up the AHL, or injuries force them too. The wings will do everything in their power to keep him in the AHL as long as possible

[Rover]

That is not an assurance of him being on the Wings. He was being given this opportunity during preseason. No guarantees here.

True, but I'm all aboard the mantha hype train so felt like he would have forced their hand to keep him once he got the chance to play.