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Mantha's career isn't necessarily over after he sustained damage to the central retinal artery in his left eye (caused by a blood clot) in January and subsequently underwent heart surgery, the Edmonton Sun reports.
Mantha reportedly is taking blood thinners to treat the issue that temporarily left him fully blind in that one eye; he now has peripheral vision, but apparently can't see what's straight ahead. Originally selected by the Rangers in the fourth round (104th overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Mantha signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Oilers in March of 2017. He's accumulated three goals and seven assists through 43 minor-league contests with AHL Bakersfield. "My dream is still to play in the NHL and I've been as close to being there as I can be (AHL)," Matha said. "It's still a dream to do so."
