The New Jersey Devils signed unrestricted free agent forward Anthony Mantha to a two-year contract worth $9.5 million on July 15, 2026. The pact carries an average annual value of $4.75 million.
Mantha, 31, posted career highs last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins: 33 goals, 31 assists and 64 points in 81 regular-season games, plus one assist in six playoff contests. He will earn $5.4 million in the first year of the deal and $4.1 million in the second.
Selected by the Detroit Red Wings 20th overall in the 2013 NHL Draft, Mantha has 367 points (179 goals, 188 assists) in 588 career regular-season games across stints with the Red Wings, Washington Capitals, Vegas Golden Knights, Calgary Flames and Penguins. He owns seven assists in 20 playoff games.
The 6-foot-5, 240-pound winger adds immediate size and finishing ability to New Jersey’s forward group. He becomes a ready option for top-six minutes and can slide to either wing, giving the Devils more scoring punch heading into the 2026-27 season after a productive free-agent addition that required no trade assets.
Mantha joins a Devils roster that has undergone several changes this offseason. His goal-scoring track record last year provides a concrete boost to a group seeking consistent production up front right away. The signing fills a clear need for a proven finisher without long-term cap complications.
Details of the contract were confirmed through official team channels on the day of the announcement. Mantha’s rebound season in Pittsburgh made him one of the more productive remaining free agents available in mid-July.