Kyle Dubas took a flier on Anthony Mantha last summer. One year, $2.5 million base, another $2 million in performance bonuses tied to games played. The kind of deal you sign when a player's been healthy for about fifteen minutes over the past three seasons and you're not sure what's left.
Turns out, quite a lot was left.
Mantha just posted 26 goals and 52 points in 67 games — career highs in both categories at age 31. He did it on a Pittsburgh team that wasn't supposed to be competitive. And now he's about to hit unrestricted free agency on July 1 with, as David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported, "a lot of interest" from around the league.
The question isn't whether Mantha gets a raise. It's how big.
The $2.5M Contract Looks Absurd Now
When Pittsburgh signed Mantha in July 2025, the reaction was mostly shrugs. He'd played just 82 combined games across the previous two seasons in Washington and Vegas, dealing with knee and shoulder injuries that kept derailing what should have been his prime years. Analysts called it a low-risk depth move. Nothing more.
The #LetsGoPens signed 30 y/o UFA F Anthony Mantha to a 1 Year contract that includes performance bonuses
— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) July 2, 2025
Salary: $2.5M
Pot perf Bonuses: $2M - $250K each 10 GP - $2M max @ 80 GP
Cap Hit $2.5M, AAV 4.5M
Rep'd by Olivier Fortier @wassermanhockey
Then Mantha played 67 of 68 games. He scored 26 goals. He put up 52 points. At 6-foot-5, 234 pounds, he was exactly the kind of power forward Pittsburgh needed alongside Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin — a guy who could cycle down low, protect pucks in the corners, and finish from the slot.
Hard to argue with those results.
What Comparable UFAs Actually Got Paid
Projecting Mantha's next deal means finding the right comps. He's a 31-year-old winger coming off a bounce-back season with real injury history. That profile doesn't get you top-line money, but it gets you paid. He's one of several high-profile names on the 2026 pending UFA list drawing attention this summer.
| Player | Age at Signing | Previous Season | Contract | AAV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyler Bertuzzi (CHI, 2024) | 29 | 21G / 43P | 4 yr | $5.5M |
| Jake DeBrusk (VAN, 2024) | 27 | 19G / 40P | 7 yr | $5.5M |
| Jonathan Marchessault (NSH, 2024) | 33 | 42G / 69P | 5 yr | $5.5M |
| Anthony Mantha (PIT, 2025) | 30 | 6G / 18P (injury) | 1 yr | $2.5M+$2M bonuses |
Contract data via PuckPedia. Mantha's 2025-26 line: 26G/26A/52P in 67 GP.
Bertuzzi is probably the closest comp — similar age range, bounce-back production, injury concerns. He got four years at $5.5 million from Chicago after posting 21 goals and 43 points with Toronto. Mantha outscored him by five goals and nine points this season.
The age and injury history will discount things somewhat. But in a UFA class that's thin on forward talent, Mantha's combination of size, finishing ability, and proven production should land him somewhere in the $4.5 million to $5.5 million AAV range on a three-to-four-year term.
Pittsburgh's Problem
The Penguins kept Mantha at the 2026 trade deadline. Dubas told reporters he was only moving the winger for an "overpayment" — a signal that Pittsburgh wanted to re-sign him. But wanting to and being able to are different things when you're staring down $50 million in projected cap commitments for 2026-27.
Anthony Mantha has hit the 20-goal plateau for the fourth time in his career 👏
— Penguins PR (@PenguinsPR) February 3, 2026
Mantha is the first free agent signing to score 20 goals in his first season with the @penguins since Petr Sykora scored 28 in 2007-08.
Evgeni Malkin is making $6.1 million and turns 40 in July. Kevin Hayes carries a $3.57 million cap hit. Matt Dumba is at $3.75 million. All three are UFAs alongside Mantha. Even if Malkin retires or takes a significant discount, finding $4.5-plus million for Mantha while addressing other roster holes isn't straightforward.
Dubas has some things working in his favor. Crosby's $8.7 million cap hit is locked in through 2027. The salary cap is projected to rise again. And Pittsburgh's young core — guys like Owen Pickering and Cody Glass — are still on cheap deals. But the math gets tight fast if you're trying to keep a 31-year-old power forward happy while also building for whatever comes after the Crosby-Malkin era.
Who Else Is Calling?
Pagnotta's report about "a lot of interest" shouldn't surprise anyone. A 6-foot-5 winger who just scored 26 goals on a prove-it deal is exactly the kind of player contenders target every summer.
Detroit makes almost too much sense. Mantha was drafted 20th overall by Detroit back in 2013 and spent his first six NHL seasons with the Red Wings, scoring 95 goals in 302 games before a 2021 trade sent him to Washington. Yzerman, now Detroit's GM, has cap space, needs scoring depth, and has never been shy about bringing back players he knows.
Beyond the Red Wings, any team looking for a top-nine winger who can play a physical game and chip in 20-plus goals should be in the conversation. That's half the league.
The Penguins' Real Dilemma
Here's what makes this tricky for Pittsburgh. The Penguins went 34-18-15 with Mantha in the lineup. They were competitive — not a contender, but not a rebuild either. Losing a 26-goal scorer for nothing in free agency when you refused to trade him for assets at the deadline would be a brutal look for Dubas.
But overpaying a 31-year-old with Mantha's injury history — remember, the two seasons before this one were a combined 82 games — just because you feel obligated to isn't great asset management either. This is the tension Dubas has to navigate over the next three months.
If Mantha wants four years at $5 million per, Pittsburgh has to decide whether that's a bet they're willing to make on a guy who, before this season, hadn't stayed healthy since 2019-20.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Anthony Mantha's current contract?
Mantha signed a one-year deal with Pittsburgh in July 2025 — $2.5 million base salary plus up to $2 million in performance bonuses tied to games played. He becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2026.
How many goals did Anthony Mantha score in 2025-26?
Mantha scored 26 goals and added 26 assists for 52 points in 67 games — career highs in goals and total points at age 31.
Will the Penguins re-sign Anthony Mantha?
Pittsburgh wants to keep him — Dubas refused to trade Mantha at the deadline without an "overpayment." But with $50 million-plus in projected 2026-27 cap commitments and multiple UFAs to address, the financials are complicated.
What teams are interested in Anthony Mantha?
David Pagnotta reported "a lot of interest" in Mantha. Detroit is a natural fit — he was drafted by Detroit in 2013 and Yzerman, now the Red Wings' GM, knows him well. Any team needing a physical top-nine winger with 20-plus goal upside should be in the mix.
