According to insider David Pagnotta, the Edmonton Oilers could be a fit for free agent forward Anthony Mantha on a short-term deal. "Would you take a shot on a two-year deal, I think some teams would, I think the Oilers might be intrigued by that possibility," Pagnotta said recently. 

However, this certainly isn't the no gamble decision Pagnotta makes it out to be. 

On paper, the connection makes some sense. Mantha's size and net-front finishing ability could theoretically pair well with Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl. Mantha scored 33 goals this season and why would the Oilers not want a finisher like that?

However, he's shown flashes of strong offensive-zone puck protection in the past, but nothing that suggests he's a given to repeat that 2025-26 performance. 

Because he only played 13 games in 2024-25, he only had four goals. The season prior, Mantha had 23, spread out of 74 games with the Washington Capitals and Vegas Golden Knights. He's the kind of player who can get streaky, being one of the best goal scorers in the NHL, or virtually disappearing. 

The real red flag is that Mantha remains scoreless in his playoff career. Over 20 games, he has zero goals. It's an almost unbelievable stat when you look at his regular season production. 

Not only that, but he is considered a liability in his own zone, particularly when it comes to breaking pucks out. He's not a strong forechecker or cycle player, limiting his overall two-way value.

Finally, he wants more than a year on a new deal, which is likely why he hasn't signed with a team yet. It's unclear what his AAV ask is, but this is not a player you overcommit to. 

With Edmonton finally carrying real cap flexibility after a disciplined offseason, spending it on a proven, but inconsistent, top-six upgrade may not be the best use of resources. 

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