Anthony Mantha, who scored a career-high 33 goals last season for the Pittsburgh Penguins, has signed a two-year contract worth $9.5 million with the New Jersey Devils, the latter team announced Wednesday.

He will make $5.4 million in 2026-27 and $4.1 million the following season, averaging out to a $4.75 million annual value. He is coming off a one-year, $2.5 million contract with Pittsburgh.

Mantha’s career year in 2025-26 ended in disappointment when he had only one assist and zero goals in the Penguins’ six-game first-round loss against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Penguins had interest in bringing Mantha back to Pittsburgh, but only on a short-term deal. Mantha said before the conclusion of last season that he was only interested in a three-year contract or longer. He ended up settling for a two-year contract with the Devils.

Mantha turns 32 in September. His stop in Pittsburgh also produced a career-best point total (64).

A 6-foot-5, 240-pound forward, Mantha is blessed with a terrific pair of hands and put his talent on display last season after a somewhat disappointing career until then. Mantha is so physically gifted that stardom had long been forecasted for him in his younger days with the Detroit Red Wings, who made him the No. 20 pick in the 2013 NHL Draft. Mantha appeared on his way to star status after scoring 49 goals over a two-season stretch from 2017 to 2019, but injuries and inconsistencies plagued his next six seasons, spent with the Washington Capitals, Vegas Golden Knights and Calgary Flames.

He finally put it all together in Pittsburgh, ensuring a decent-sized raise when he hit the open market.

What Mantha brings to the Devils

Devils general manager Sunny Mehta, who had already extended Nico Hischier and brought in Evan Rodrigues and Jesper Boqvist in his first summer on the job, now has another top-six option for his forward group. Mantha is effective in transition, making him an option to play with star center Jack Hughes. Hischier, Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier are top-six stalwarts, and Dawson Mercer and Connor Brown could also be options on the top two lines.

The Devils have approximately $2.77 million in cap space remaining, per PuckPedia. They’re trying to return to the playoffs under the newly hired Mehta, who has made substantial changes to the roster this summer. He traded Jacob Markström to Florida for a package that included Rodrigues and Boqvist and also moved 2022 No. 2 pick Šimon Nemec, sending him to Calgary for a package that included two first-round picks and a high second-round pick.

Mantha is built like a power forward but doesn’t play a rugged game. Instead, he produced much of his offense on the rush last season. He was the Penguins’ most consistent goal scorer throughout the healthiest season of his NHL career. Mantha played in 81 of 82 games, sitting only one game late in the regular season when the Penguins rested their regulars before the postseason.

The rest didn’t help Mantha, who was blanked in six playoff games against the Philadelphia Flyers. In 20 career playoff games, Mantha has never scored.