6-foot-5 forward confirms he spoke with Kent Hughes about joining the Canadiens
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Veteran winger Anthony Mantha has confirmed new details involving Kent Hughes and the Montreal Canadiens.
Mantha recently agreed to finally open up about his discussions with the Canadiens. The interest was mutual, but no concrete offer was ever put on the table.
That clears up the many rumours that circulated before he signed in New Jersey.
The Quebec-born winger spoke about the situation on Tony Marinaro’s Sick Podcast.
His clarification finally sheds light on what really happened between Mantha and Kent Hughes.
“There was interest from Montreal in me, and vice versa too,” he said directly.
But the story ends there.
“When it came time to talk money and years, there was never anything offered,” the forward said about the Canadiens.
Mantha was widely discussed as a potential target for Montreal, but negotiations never truly got off the ground.
Canadiens’ interest in Anthony Mantha never progressed beyond talks
That suggests Montreal’s interest never advanced beyond the exploratory stage.
Whatever the reason, the Canadiens never moved from initial discussions to an actual contract offer.
Interest on paper is one thing.
Getting into the money and contract terms is another.
Montreal never reached that stage with Mantha.
The veteran eventually found a landing spot elsewhere with the New Jersey Devils.
That move closes the door on speculation about a return home.
In the clip, Mantha calmly explains that both sides showed interest before discussions stopped short of money and term.
Were the Canadiens right to pass on Mantha?
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6-foot-5 forward confirms he spoke with Kent Hughes about joining the Canadiens
Did the Canadiens make the right decision by never making a concrete offer to Anthony Mantha?