Sylvio Mantha
Two-way defenceman, Hall of Fame inductee, two-time Stanley Cup champion.
Sylvio Mantha played 14 NHL seasons as a defenceman for the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins, earning a reputation as a strong two-way player and induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1960. He began his hockey career as a right winger with the Notre Dame de Grace Juniors in 1919, later skating for Verdun in the Intermediate Mount Royal Hockey League and for Imperial Tobacco and Northern Electric in Montreal’s industrial league. After a brief stint with the Montreal Nationales in the Quebec league, where he scored four goals in nine games, the Canadiens signed him in December 1923. Montreal initially used Mantha as a forward but soon moved him to defence as part of a youth push, since veteran blueliners Sprague Cleghorn and Billy Coutu were getting older. He saw limited action as a substitute in his first season but earned more ice time when Coutu was injured and Cleghorn was suspended. Mantha played regularly in the playoffs, helping the Canadiens win the 1924 Stanley Cup. After Cleghorn was traded before the 1925–26 season, Mantha took on a bigger role. When Coutu was dealt to Boston in the 1927 offseason, Mantha became team captain, pairing with Herb Gardiner—acquired when the Western Hockey League folded—as Montreal’s new starting defencemen. Mantha was hurt in the 1927 playoffs but recovered to score the Canadiens’ only goal on an end-to-end rush in the deciding loss to the Ottawa Senators. After Gardiner left to become player-coach in Chicago, Mantha was paired with Battleship Leduc. On November 20, 1928, he scored the first goal ever at Boston Garden, giving Montreal a 1–0 win over the Bruins. That season, he also played alongside his brother Georges, a rookie forward signed by Montreal. By season’s end, Mantha was paired with Marty Burke, a partnership that lasted several years. In 1929–30, Montreal won its second Stanley Cup with Mantha, who scored two goals in the best-of-three Final against the heavily favored Bruins—who had the best regular-season winning percentage in NHL history. That season, Mantha set career highs in goals, assists, and points, finishing second among league defencemen in goals (behind King Clancy) and third in points (behind Clancy and Eddie Shore).
Quick Facts
- Position
- Defence
- Shoots
- Right
- Height Ft
- 5
- Height In
- 10
- Weight Lb
- 173
- Played For
- Montreal Canadiens / Boston Bruins
- Birth Date
- 1902-04-14
- Birth Place
- Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Death Date
- 1974-08-07
- Career Start
- 1923
- Career End
- 1937
- Halloffame
- 1960
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Mantha started as a right winger for the Notre Dame de Grace Juniors in 1919, then played for Verdun in the Intermediate Mount Royal Hockey League, and for Imperial Tobacco and Northern Electric in the Montreal industrial league. After scoring four goals in nine games with the Montreal Nationales in the Quebec league, he was signed by the Montreal Canadiens in December 1923. The Canadiens started him as a forward, then moved him to defence as part of a youth movement because veteran defencemen Sprague Cleghorn and Billy Coutu were aging. He helped the Canadiens to the 1924 Stanley Cup championship. When Cleghorn was traded before the 1925–26 season, Mantha gained a more prominent role, and after Coutu was traded to Boston in the 1927 offseason, he was named captain of the team, paired with Herb Gardiner. Mantha scored the first-ever goal in Boston Garden on November 20, 1928, leading the Canadiens to a 1–0 win over the Boston Bruins.
Reader's Guide
Sylvio Mantha's significance lies in his reputation as one of the best two-way defencemen of his era, as recognized by his election to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1960. He played fourteen NHL seasons, primarily for the Montreal Canadiens, and was a key contributor to two Stanley Cup championships (1924 and 1930). His career included notable milestones such as scoring the first goal in Boston Garden history and being named captain of the Canadiens. He was named to the NHL Second All-Star Team twice (1930–31 and 1931–32) for his defensive prowess. After his playing career, he worked as a linesman and referee in the AHL and NHL, then coached several Montreal-area junior league teams, including the Verdun Maple Leafs and St. Jerome Eagles. He was instrumental in steering future Hall of Famer Bernie Geoffrion to the Concordias after seeing the then-14-year-old Geoffrion score five goals in a match. The Georges and Sylvio Mantha Arenas in Montreal are named for him and his brother Georges Mantha.
Did You Know?
- He was named captain of the Montreal Canadiens after Billy Coutu was traded to Boston in the 1927 offseason.
- Mantha substituted for the suspended Newsy Lalonde as coach for two matches in 1934 before becoming full-time player-coach for the 1935–36 season.
More in Hockey Hall of Fame Defencemen 1-24
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