Sylvio Mantha

Sylvio Mantha (April 14, 1902 - August 7, 1974) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played fourteen seasons in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins.

Playing career

Born in Montreal, 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...
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