Last season, Anthony Mantha was limited to only 13 games with the Calgary Flames after undergoing a season-ending knee surgery. Flash forward exactly 12 months later, and the forward has not only recovered, but is playing a major role in Pittsburgh’s top-six after signing a one-year contract back in July.
Throughout training camp and through the first six weeks of the regular season, Mantha has been a mainstay on the second line with Evgeni Malkin, with the two displaying strong chemistry together.
“He’s a great player. He’s fast and has a long stick,” Malkin said. “He’s physical, he can score, he can do everything. I’m glad we signed him.”
Hockey is in Mantha’s blood, as his grandfather Andre Pronovost won four Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens in the 1950s, and played one season with the Pittsburgh Hornets in the 1960s. Mantha learned many life lessons from his grandfather’s stories from being in the NHL, and one specifically that became a reality at the beginning of his own professional career.
The 31-year-old forward sat down to share more about his family background, life as a father, and other interests outside of hockey.
Where did your hockey nickname ‘Moe’ come from?
There was a reporter in Detroit who did a whole article about how I’m related to Moe Mantha [who played parts of four seasons with the Penguins from 1984-88]. And that was false. So, the running gag in the locker room was “okay, your nickname is going to be Mo,” and it stuck for all of these years.
What is the backstory of your jersey number?
My first camp in Detroit, they gave it to me. I told my family, and my mom goes, “Oh, really? 39?” And I’m like, “You know what? I’ll just run with it and make it my number now.” I was lucky enough that all of the teams I went through had 39 available.
Who was your favorite hockey player growing up?
I mean, it’s easy to say my grandfather, but I never saw him play. For me, it was Joe Sakic. I thought that he was such a great player, he was the guy that I tried to watch as many videos of as possible. If I were to play Xbox, I would obviously take him as a player and try to score as many goals.
How has your grandfather served as a role model for you? Are there any specific life lessons that you remember from him?
The one thing that really marked me was what he always said about Maurice Richard, and every time that he shot the puck, he had to go through the net. That was his goal. Not only scoring a goal, but the puck had to go through when he was shooting. I remember in Grand Rapids, I did it once, where I shot the puck and it went through the mesh. So, I called my grandpa right after the game and said, “You saw that one?” I think that’s the thing that marked me the most. But if not, I mean, every time we would go skate around the house, being so young, he would give me tips. In juniors, he would call me every three or four games to kind of tell me what he saw, what I could do better, and what I did good. Just things like that. He pretty much watched every game about two or three times each game. He puts them on repeat, and he rewatches them each day. He just loves it that much.
With Andre a Canadiens legend, you got to spend time around the Bell Centre growing up. Do you have a favorite moment from going to games there?
There isn’t a specific game that stands out, but I do have a Montreal jersey where the front logo had all of the old-timers that signed it, or whoever I would see in the old timers room. And then the back would be the active players at that time. Lars Eller was one of them, someone I played with in Washington. So, that was pretty special to have. That would probably be the best memory that I have.
What was it like to see your sister, Elizabeth, become a professional hockey referee? (She has done games with the PWHL, American Hockey League, college and juniors).
I think that it was cool. Everyone around us was kind of making jokes that I wasn’t the only one that made it far in the hockey world. So, that was a lot of fun. Obviously, there’s a lot of dedication that goes into it. There’s a lot of travel with being a ref, and she put the time and effort into it. Hats off to her. I mean, it’s paying off with her second Olympics this winter. That’s going to be cool and a way different experience than the last one that she was at. It was the COVID year, so she didn’t quite get to experience and go see all of the other sports during the two weeks there.
Is there a time when she watched one of your games and told you that she would’ve called you for a penalty?
You know what, yes, for sure. She would tell me if this was a penalty or if it wasn’t. And the opposite is also true. She will send me clips of her refereeing, and she’s like, “What would you have called here if you were a ref? Would you have called anything? Was this goalie interference? Was this not?” It kind of goes back and forth.
What do you usually do in the summertime? Do you go back to Quebec?
Yeah, I usually do every year. Last year obviously was different, still recovering from an injury. It was a little bit of a longer summer, and in Montreal, it’s different with way more ice time and way more time in the gym and things like that. It was good.
With a third child on the way, what is it that you love most about being a father?
The number one thing is the love that they give you back. There’s just that special bond with your child that is unbreakable. I’m pretty sure that every parent could attest to it. You are on a six or seven-day road trip, and your daughter is calling you, and she knows that you’re away for hockey or for work. The second that you get back home, she’s all over you, giving you cuddles, and telling you how much she’s missed you.
If you didn’t play in the NHL, what would your dream job be? What could you envision yourself doing?
My dream job would be a golfer. A realistic job would probably be something along the lines of an accountant or something with numbers.
What are your interests outside of hockey?
Golf is the main part. Obviously, spending time with my family and seeing them grow. It takes a big chunk of my time. In the summertime, it’s seeing friends and family. We’re gone for the whole year, so you try to catch up with those people in the summertime. Not last summer, but the summer before, I played pickleball a lot as a conditioning stint. That’s pretty much it.
What are some TV shows or movies that you have been watching either with your children or your wife?
The kids are watching Paw Patrol. My wife and I don’t really watch a lot of TV at home, we don’t have much time. But right now, we’re finishing the second season of Wednesday. I started to watch Yellowstone on the road. I’ve tried watching it two or three times already, but only like the first two or three episodes. I told myself that I really need to get through the first season. So, that’s what I’m starting on the road on my own.
Are there any books you're currently reading or podcasts that you listen to?
I do listen to a UFC podcast with Chael Sonnen and Daniel Cormier. I follow UFC quite a bit, so I try to stay informed on the upcoming week and a recap of the last week if I wasn’t able to pay attention.
What would your go-to cheat meal or late-night snack be?
I’m French Canadian, so I think a good poutine is the number one cheat meal for me. But obviously, being in the States, there’s none of that.
Any favorite board games or card games that you like to play?
For a board game, my favorite would be Catan. For card games, on the plane we play 13-Up, Shnarps. We played poker in the past, but it’s not necessarily my favorite. It’s kind of an everything goes.
Who is your favorite music artist?
I love country. I would say that Chris Stapleton is probably my favorite. I saw him live during the summertime in Detroit, so that was pretty fun. But, anything country pretty much goes.
