Could the Canucks end up pursuing this Oilers forward?
Edmonton Oilers forward Andrew Mangiapane will undoubtedly be a trade candidate to watch once the NHL Olympic roster freeze ends. There is no question that Mangiapane has simply not been a good fit on the Oilers.
Mangiapane has struggled this season with the Oilers, as he has six goals, six assists, 12 points, and a minus-21 rating in 49 games. He has also been scratched multiple times. With this, it is clear that he could use a change of scenery.
In a recent article for The Athletic, Harman Dayal and Thomas Drance named Mangiapane as a potential trade target for the struggling Vancouver Canucks to take a chance on.
"Mangiapane isn’t as much of a slam-dunk bounce-back candidate as Foegele, but the former is probably a harder contract to trade right now, which means the Canucks would likely have a greater chance of netting a meaningful draft pick as a sweetener," Dayal and Drance wrote.
With the Canucks now rebuilding, it would be understandable if they were open to taking on a bad contract like Mangiapane's for a draft pick or even a solid prospect. The Canucks are also in a position where they can take a chance on a struggling forward like Mangiapane with zero risk.
When looking at the Canucks' current roster, Mangiapane could slot nicely in their top nine and potentially even on their second power-play unit.
Whether it's the Canucks or another club, it does seem inevitable that Mangiapane will end up being traded by the Oilers. If the Oilers can find a suitor for the 29-year-old winger and his $3.6 million cap hit, it would open the door for them to bring in talent elsewhere. It will be fascinating to see if they can do just that from here.