Former Washington Capitals winger Andrew Mangiapane could reportedly be nearing a divorce from his first post-Caps destination, the Edmonton Oilers.
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the 29-year-old winger is being shopped by the Oilers, and Mangiapane, who has a full no-move clause in his contract, could be open to a new opportunity depending on the potential landing spot.
“I think there is an understanding there that if the Oilers could find something for Mangiapane with another team, where he might have a bigger role, he would be willing to waive,” Friedman said on this week’s 32 Thoughts podcast. “If another situation can be found, I think Mangiapane would be willing to look at it.”
Mangiapane was not re-signed by the Capitals this past offseason, making him an unrestricted free agent on July 1. The Oilers pounced on the opportunity to add to their forward depth, inking Mangiapane to a two-year, $7.2 million ($3.6M cap hit) contract.
After starting the 2025-26 season with a significant role in the team’s top-six forward group, Mangiapane’s ice time has consistently decreased as the games have gone by. He played an average of 15:43 of ice time per game in October, 13:26 in November, and now just 11:34 per game in December. His ever-shrinking role culminated with a healthy scratch on Monday night.
Through 39 games with the Oilers this season, Mangiapane has recorded 11 points (5g, 6a) and has a team-worst minus-16 rating. Edmonton has been above water during Mangiapane’s five-on-five minutes, seeing 51.3 percent of shot attempts, 50.7 percent of expected goals, 50.5 percent of scoring chances, and 51.3 percent of high-danger chances.
Friedman also states that the great play of prospects Isaac Howard and Quinn Hutson in the AHL with the Bakersfield Condors is contributing to Edmonton’s desire to move on from Mangiapane. Howard, a 2022 first-round pick, has 20 points (9g, 11a) in 15 games for the Condors, while Hutson has 30 points (17g, 13a) in 25 games.
The two young forwards have seen time in the NHL this season with the Oilers, but have been squeezed off the roster by players like Mangiapane. The Oilers have also started to get healthy, further constricting their roster, as veterans like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Zach Hyman, Mattias Janmark, and Jack Roslovic all have returned from the injured list around the same time.
Edmonton will have until the 2026 trade deadline on March 6 to move Mangiapane’s contract, but they will likely try to do so before the NHL breaks for the 2026 Winter Olympics in February.