Flames look to Mantha to shoot as he builds chemistry with Huberdeau

The Calgary Flames want new winger Anthony Mantha to shoot.

A lot.

Mantha, who signed a one-year $3.5 million deal to join the Flames in the off-season, started training camp opposite Jonathan Huberdeau on a line centred by Martin Pospisil.

He has a career-high 198 shots in a season, which he set during the 2018-19 and head coach Ryan Huska wants him to blow past that previous high as he continues to search for a right winger to complement Huberdeau. 

The 6-foot-5 winger registered 23 goals and 44 points in 74 games split between the Washington Capitals and Vegas Golden Knights last season.

“It’s freeing [to be told to shoot more], but to be able to fire the puck, you need to be able to get it back,” Mantha said.

“You need those second, third opportunities. Right now, I’m on a line with Huby and Pospy. I think we’re going to be able to get those second and third pucks in the [offensive] zone and create chances.”

Huska has a specific number in mind for Mantha.

“He’s got a rocket of a shot,” he said.

“I asked him to shoot more…if he’s gonna play with Huby, Huby’s a pass-first guy as we know. So I want him to be ready to shoot. We feel like if he has the mindset of, ‘I’ve got to get up to 300 shots,’ which is a lot of shots, then he’s gonna score some goals because he’s naturally talented that way.”

The hope is that Huberdeau gels with Mantha and Pospisil and finds the on-ice chemistry he’s long been searching for in Calgary. Huberdeau had numerous right wingers last season, including Connor Zary, Andrew Mangiapane, Blake Coleman, Yegor Sharangovich, and, briefly, Nazem Kadri.

He ended the season with 52 points and didn’t find consistency for the second straight season. 

The Flames believe that Mantha and Pospisil help Huberdeau rediscover his game. Pospisil played most of his rookie campaign on the right side of Kadri and Zary. He will now look to impress in his audition at centre. Huska’s high on Pospisil’s grit and north-south style. Pospisil played centre for Slovakia during the summer in the Olympic qualifying games.

“From all reports, he did a very good job,” Huska said.

“With Posp, the pace that he plays the game at, Huby’s played with someone similar to that in his past…with Mantha being a shooter, there’s an opportunity for Marty to drag both guys into the game. He has a tendency to do that, but it’s the speed that he brings to the table is what we feel might give that line a bit of a push.”

Huberdeau looks leaner at training camp than he did during the regular season. He said that he started skating earlier than usual, and is looking forward to building a connection with Mantha. 

“First of all, he’s French,” Huberdeau said on the opening day of camp.

“That’s good news. He’s a guy that shoots the puck. He has a tremendous shot, great IQ. It could be a really good line and we can start building some chemistry right away.”

The organization is happy with Huberdeau’s attitude and how he’s embracing a leadership role on this young Flames group. On the opening day of camp, he stressed that they have to enjoy the game, even when there’s growing pains.

Huska mentioned Huberdeau’s changes to his off-season regimen as a sign that he’s evolving. 

“He always wants to put his best effort forward,” said Huska.

“He changed how he did things this summer because he hasn’t been happy with how things went for a couple of years. I feel like he’s come back with a really good mindset and he’s in shape right now. And that’s something that we need. You talk about the six [leaders]. Huby’s a big part of that.”