Sylvio Mantha
Encyclopedia
Sylvio Mantha was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played fourteen seasons in the National Hockey League
for the Montreal Canadiens
and Boston Bruins
.
, Mantha was a three-time Stanley Cup
winner - 1924, 1930(Captain), 1931(Captain). He played fourteen NHL seasons from 1923–24 to 1936–37, with all but four games as a Montreal Canadiens
player. He was the captain of the Montreal Canadiens
from 1926–27 to 1931–32 and from 1933–34 to 1935–36.
Mantha started as a right-winger
for the Notre Dame de Grace Juniors in 1918–19 season, before playing for Verdun in the Intermediate Mount Royal Hockey League, Montreal Imperial Tobacco, and Montreal Northern Electric in the Montreal industrial league. He played briefly for the Montreal Nationales in the Quebec league. After scoring four goals in nine games with the Nationales, he was signed by the Montreal Canadiens
. The Canadiens started Mantha as a forward, then moved him to right defence
, because veterans Sprague Cleghorn
and Billy Coutu
were aging.
When Cleghorn was traded just before the 1925–26 NHL season, Mantha gained a more prominent role. He scored the first-ever goal in Boston Garden
on November 20, 1928, leading the Canadiens to a 1–0 win over the Boston Bruins
. Mantha was named to the NHL Second All-Star Team in both the 1929–30 and 1930–31 seasons.
In the 1935–36 NHL season, Mantha became the Canadiens' player coach. After a dismal season, the Canadiens fired him. The Boston Bruins
were involved in a contract dispute with Eddie Shore
so they signed Mantha at the start of the 1936–37 NHL season -- and gave him Shore's number 2 jersey. Four games into the season, Mantha admitted he could no longer play at a competitive level and retired.
Mantha then worked as a linesman and referee for the AHL and NHL. He then coached the junior league Montreal Concordias, Laval Nationales (1943 to 1945), Verdun Maple Leafs (1945 to 1947), and St. Jerome Eagles (1947 to 1948).
He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
in 1960, and died in Montreal, in August 1974.
The Georges and Sylvio Mantha Arenas are part of the Complexe Récréatif Gadbois in Montreal and named for him and his brother, Georges Mantha
, who also played in the National Hockey League.
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
for the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
and Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
.
Playing career
Born in MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Mantha was a three-time Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
winner - 1924, 1930(Captain), 1931(Captain). He played fourteen NHL seasons from 1923–24 to 1936–37, with all but four games as a Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
player. He was the captain of the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
from 1926–27 to 1931–32 and from 1933–34 to 1935–36.
Mantha started as a right-winger
Winger (ice hockey)
Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
for the Notre Dame de Grace Juniors in 1918–19 season, before playing for Verdun in the Intermediate Mount Royal Hockey League, Montreal Imperial Tobacco, and Montreal Northern Electric in the Montreal industrial league. He played briefly for the Montreal Nationales in the Quebec league. After scoring four goals in nine games with the Nationales, he was signed by the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
. The Canadiens started Mantha as a forward, then moved him to right defence
Defenceman (ice hockey)
Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...
, because veterans Sprague Cleghorn
Sprague Cleghorn
Henry William Sprague "Peg" Cleghorn, , was a Canadian professional hockey player from Westmount who played for the Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Wanderers, Ottawa Senators, Renfrew Creamery Kings and Toronto St. Patricks in the National Hockey Association and National Hockey League...
and Billy Coutu
Billy Coutu
Wilfrid Arthur Coutu was a professional Canadian ice hockey defenceman who played ten seasons in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens, the Hamilton Tigers, and the Boston Bruins...
were aging.
When Cleghorn was traded just before the 1925–26 NHL season, Mantha gained a more prominent role. He scored the first-ever goal in Boston Garden
Boston Garden
The Boston Garden was an arena in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, who also built the third iteration of New York's Madison Square Garden, it opened on November 17, 1928 as "Boston Madison Square Garden" and outlived its original namesake by some 30 years...
on November 20, 1928, leading the Canadiens to a 1–0 win over the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
. Mantha was named to the NHL Second All-Star Team in both the 1929–30 and 1930–31 seasons.
In the 1935–36 NHL season, Mantha became the Canadiens' player coach. After a dismal season, the Canadiens fired him. The Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
were involved in a contract dispute with Eddie Shore
Eddie Shore
Edward William Shore was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman, principally for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League, and the longtime owner of the Springfield Indians of the American Hockey League, iconic for his toughness and defensive skill.Shore won the Hart Trophy as the...
so they signed Mantha at the start of the 1936–37 NHL season -- and gave him Shore's number 2 jersey. Four games into the season, Mantha admitted he could no longer play at a competitive level and retired.
Mantha then worked as a linesman and referee for the AHL and NHL. He then coached the junior league Montreal Concordias, Laval Nationales (1943 to 1945), Verdun Maple Leafs (1945 to 1947), and St. Jerome Eagles (1947 to 1948).
He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
in 1960, and died in Montreal, in August 1974.
The Georges and Sylvio Mantha Arenas are part of the Complexe Récréatif Gadbois in Montreal and named for him and his brother, Georges Mantha
Georges Mantha
Georges Leon Mantha was a Canadian ice hockey forward born in Lachine, Quebec, Canada.Mantha played his National Hockey League career with the Montreal Canadiens. His career lasted from 1928 to 1941. His brother Sylvio Mantha also played in the NHL...
, who also played in the National Hockey League.