Oilers winger Andrew Mangiapane was a healthy scratch Monday night against the Winnipeg Jets and it appears the writing is on the wall for the veteran forward in Edmonton. After Elliotte Friedman revealed earlier this week on 32 Thoughts that Mangiapane and the team might part ways with the player willing to waive his no-trade clause for a better fit, it now seems his agent has taken an active role in making that happen.
According to insider Tom Gazzola, Mangiapane's agent is now working directly with the Oilers to facilitate a trade. The team has given his camp permission to talk to other teams and insiders have confirmed that Mangiapane is willing to waive his no-trade clause to find a fresh start elsewhere.
"The Oilers had given Andrew Mangiapane's camp, his agent, permission to talk to other teams to seek a trade. There was one more update at the end of the game, I was told that Stan [Bowman] has taken over, and was looking to make this happen," Gazzola reported.
The collaborative approach marks a professional resolution to what both sides appear ready to acknowledge as a failed experiment.
When Mangiapane signed a two-year, $7.2 million contract with Edmonton in July, there was optimism that the former 35-goal scorer could provide secondary scoring depth for a team that had just reached the Stanley Cup Final. The deal carries an average annual value of $3.6 million and runs through the 2026-27 season featuring a full no-trade clause from July 1, 2025 through June 15, 2026, followed by a modified no-trade clause with a five-team approval list for the remainder of the deal.
It was a significant discount from the $5.8 million cap hit he carried with Washington the previous season for a player looking to prove himself on a contending team after a quiet 28-point campaign with the Capitals. Six months later, it's clear the fit just isn't there.
What Elliotte Friedman said on the Mangiapane situation
Speaking on the 32 Thoughts podcast, Friedman laid out the situation after Mangiapane practiced on the fourth line ahead of Monday's game against Winnipeg.
"I think there is an understanding there that if the Oilers can find something for Mangiapane with another team where he might have a bigger role, he would be willing to waive in that situation," Friedman explained.
"I don't think it's like a hard and fast trade demand or anything like that, but I think there's just a realization that it just wasn't working in that spot. And if another situation can be found, I think Andrew Mangiapane would be willing to look at it."
Friedman compared the situation to recent trades involving players like Philip Danault in Los Angeles and Mason Marchment in Seattle where things simply weren't working out and both sides agreed to move on.
Mangiapane was given every chance to succeed
Despite the disappointing results, Mangiapane was given ample opportunity to succeed in Edmonton. Through the first 25 games of the season, he played in the top six alongside either Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl. The results? Just eight points and a team-worst minus-18 rating during that stretch.
For a player brought in specifically to provide secondary scoring at $3.6 million per year, those numbers simply aren't really acceptable. Offensive plays routinely died on his stick, he failed to make an impact on the forecheck and while defensively adequate, the Oilers needed more from him at both ends of the ice.
Even last season in Washington, where Mangiapane played mostly bottom-six minutes he was more productive. For whatever reason, he couldn't find a way to make his impact in Edmonton's lineup despite quality ice time and elite linemates. Through 39 games this season, he has managed just 11 points.
According to Gazzola's reporting, Mangiapane was given a fair shot but "just never really did much with it." The player was given every chance to succeed in Edmonton including those coveted top-six minutes early in the season. The only thing they didn't give him was special teams time.
What happens next for Mangiapane and the Oilers
With Edmonton finally getting healthy and young players like Ike Howard and Quinn Hutson performing well, roster spots are at a premium. As Friedman noted, there are going to be guys who have to sit and Mangiapane has become one of those players.
Both sides appear ready to move on professionally and amicably. Mangiapane is willing to waive his no-trade protection to find a better fit and the Oilers are working with his representation to make it happen.
For Edmonton, clearing Mangiapane's $3.6 million cap hit could provide the flexibility to bring in a player who better fits their system and needs. For Mangiapane, a fresh start elsewhere might reignite the form that saw him score 35 goals and 55 points in 2021-22 with Calgary.
Gazzola summed it up well, writing, "It's fair to say that he's not a fit now, but the idea that Mangiapane wasn't given a fair shot just doesn't hold water."
With his agent now actively working with Stan Bowman and the Oilers front office to facilitate a trade, it appears this situation will be resolved sooner rather than later. Both the Oilers and Mangiapane are reportedly handling the situation professionally working together to find a solution that benefits everyone involved.