Insider Says Oilers Have an Interested Taker in a Mangiapane Trade

Elliotte Friedman noted on Saturday Headlines that the Edmonton Oilers are likely to find a taker in a trade that would see forward Andrew Mangiapane moved this season. The team he believed was the most interested currently is the Anaheim Ducks.

---

Friedman wasn’t saying a deal with the Ducks was imminent, that the return in any trade was known, or that it had even been discussed. The NHL insider merely mentioned that the Ducks were reportedly open to the idea and may have had some discussions with GM Stan Bowman of the Oilers.

Mangiapane was made a healthy scratch again on Saturday as the Oilers hosted the Philadelphia Flyers. Edmonton lost 5-2 in that game, and there was a real feeling that the team’s depth production is becoming a clear issue. Edmonton tried to showcase and elevate Mangiapane in their last game, but Mangiapane failed to step up to the challenge. He played less than nine minutes and was moved off that second line.

At this point, it is believed the Oilres would be willing to dump Mangiapane’s contract if they didn’t have to give the Ducks a sweetener to make a trade work. It doesn’t sound like there is a concern about sending the forward to a division rival.

Mangiapane Is Running Out of Rope in Edmonton

Some believed the Oilers have been trying to send a message to Mangiapane that he needs to raise his level of urgency and intensity. In an attempt to find a fix, Edmonton called up both Ike Howard and Quinn Hutson this weekend. They played on a line with Matt Savoie on Saturday versus the Flyers, and the experiment didn’t go very well. Still, Mangiapane has slid down the Oilers’ depth chart to a point where the franchise is willing to experiment with rookies rather than give a former 35-goal guy more chances to produce.

Next: Really? 2 Oilers Stars Didn’t Even Make Writer’s Olympic Snub List