\u201cIt\u2019s a great group of guys here, and you see that there\u2019s a lot of young, skilled talent, a lot of life and energy in this dressing room,\u201d Mangiapane said after Friday\u2019s loss. \u201cIt\u2019s a fun team to be a part of, and you could just see it on the ice, their skill and talent.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mangiapane was dealt from the Oilers<\/a> to the Blackhawks as a salary dump to provide Edmonton with more cap space at the trade deadline. The Oilers shipped off the winger and a conditional first-round pick in exchange for Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach. Mangiapane is in the first year of a two-year contract with a $3.6 million cap hit.Mangiapane notched his first point with the Blackhawks, a goal Monday night against the Utah Mammoth, and has held a consistent role on their third line and second power play unit, something which was lacking at times as he struggled to fit in with the Oilers. In 52 games with the Oilers, he had just seven goals and seven assists for 14 points<\/a> despite having Connor McDavid as his most common linemate, albeit only in 30.8 per cent of Mangiapane\u2019s minutes.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a little tough sledding there in Edmonton, so I\u2019m just happy to get out and have a nice restart and be with a good organization, good team here,\u201d Mangiapane said before Friday\u2019s game. \u201cThe guys in the group seem great, and everybody\u2019s been welcoming. It\u2019s an exciting feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s not the first time the Oilers have brought in a winger with the potential to do well alongside McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, only to see them struggle. Last season, the Oilers signed Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner for similar reasons, and while they were slightly more productive than Mangiapane, they both still fell short of expectations.<\/p>\n
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There\u2019s a new chapter beginning at