Andrew Mangiapane the latest trade departure as Calgary Flames continue to focus on youth and draft capital
Andrew Mangiapane is looking to have a bounce-back season after a rough couple of years. But it won't be with the Calgary Flames.
The Flames traded the 28-year-old winger to the Washington Capitals Thursday evening for a second-round pick in 2025.
Why? A couple of reasons stand out as the Flames continue their youth movement. Mangiapane is a hard worker who embodied the Flames' personality for seven seasons after being drafted in the sixth round of the 2015 NHL draft but he's entering the final season of a three-year deal worth $5.8 million a year. He signed that in August 2022 after a career campaign — 35 goals and 55 points in 82 games.
He's struggled to get anywhere near that pace over the past two seasons. Mangiapane managed just 31 goals in that span, including 14 last year with a nagging shoulder injury that limited his training last summer.
Shedding that large salary opens even more space under the cap and more than makes up for the percentage retained in the Jacob Markstrom trade. The Calgary Flames have nearly $30 million in cap room, offering flexibility to take on larger salaries in trades or free agency.
“Today’s trade provides us with an increase in valuable draft capital and we have continued to emphasize the importance of how upcoming drafts will influence the future of our franchise,” Flames GM Craig Conroy said in a release. “Additionally, this move affords us with more salary cap and roster flexibility to make decisions after July 1st."
The Flames own six first-round picks in the next three drafts, and a handful of second-rounders as well. They could use that capital to climb at any position, or as fodder for a centre (like Martin Necas) or another young player they identify as a building block.
Currently, the Flames have the ninth overall pick in Friday's first round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.