Oilers Bench $7M in ‘Solutions’ As Brutal Offseason Bets Unravel

The Edmonton Oilers didn’t bring in Andrew Mangiapane and Trent Frederic to be lineup headaches. They were supposed to be solutions. Instead, both will be watching from the press box Tuesday night against the Nashville Predators — a blunt admission that things have gone horribly off the rails.

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We’ll get confirmation at the Oilers optional pre-game skate this morning, but early indications are that both Mangiapane and Frederic will be healthy scratches, a combined $7 million-plus in offseason investments sitting idle while the Oilers try to stabilize a roster with Stanley Cup expectations.

For Mangiapane, a trade is likely around the corner. For Frederic, this could be a very long eight years.

Mangiapane Is Out as Trade Protection

For Mangiapane, the message feels transactional. The Oilers are likely protecting their investment as they work on a trade that will send him to either the Anaheim Ducks, Winnipeg Jets, or Toronto Maple Leafs (at least those are the three rumored teams).

Scratched for the second time in three games, his role has steadily diminished as his production has failed to match his $3.6 million salary. On a team where prodcution is a must and cap efficiency matters, his leash wasn’t long. The Oilers didn’t acquire him to be a fourth-line luxury, and it was made clear when he was signed that if things didn’t work out, the Oilers would quickly pivot, which they’re doing.

Frederic Is Out Because He Just Doesn’t Get It

Frederic’s situation is far more uncomfortable. He’s in the first year of an eight-year deal, and the Oilers have tried to send message after message. It appears as though they’re trying to squeeze something out of a player they thought was in his nature, but might not be there at all.

Frederic was brought in for his edge, physicality, and playoff-style game, but this season, he’s shown little more than a willingness not to engage or disrupt. He’s clearly not the next coming of Evander Kane or Corey Perry, and the Oilers are realizing that he is not skilled enough to be anything but a menace. Now, because he’s not even that, it’s hard to even justify nightly bottom-six minutes.

Between the two players, it’s a lot of money for the Oilers get nothing out of. Every penny in Edmonton counts and Frederic and Mangiapane are a lot of pennies.

Pretty soon, half of that money (Mangiapane) will be gone and off the books. As for Frederic? The Oilers are going to need to figure something out.

The Oilers are done waiting. With Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in their prime, but the team looking less like a Cup contender than in any point over the last three seasons, sitting more than $7 million in “solutions” isn’t just frustrating — it’s a potential season-ender.

Next: Oilers Quick Hits: Walman, Stastney, Kapanen, Hutson, and Mangiapane Trade Spots