Mantha traded to Golden Knights by Capitals for 2 draft picks

Anthony Mantha was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights by the Washington Capitals on Tuesday for a second-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

The 29-year-old forward has 34 points (20 goals, 14 assists) in 56 games this season. He is in the final season of a four-year contract he signed with the Detroit Red Wings on Nov. 3, 2020, and can become an unrestricted free agent after the season.

Washington will retain 50 percent of Mantha’s salary.

Selected by Detroit in the first round (No. 20) of the 2013 NHL Draft, Mantha has 286 points (139 goals, 147 assists) in 476 regular-season games with the Red Wings and Capitals, and six assists in 11 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

Vegas (33-22-7), which has lost eight of its past 10 games (2-7-1), is third in the Pacific Division, one point ahead of the Los Angeles Kings, who have two games in hand.

The Golden Knights have played their past six games (1-4-1) without captain and forward Mark Stone, who has been out since Feb. 20 because of an upper-body injury. Stone has 53 points (16 goals, 37 assists) in 56 games this season.

Washington (28-23-9) is seven points behind the Red Wings and Tampa Bay Lightning, who are tied for the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference. The Capitals are also seven points behind the Philadelphia Flyers for third place in Metropolitan Division with three games in hand.