The writing isn’t just on the wall for Andrew Mangiapane in Edmonton; the ink is dry. After a string of healthy scratches, it has become abundantly clear that the 29-year-old winger does not fit into the Oilers’ current plans. However, one team’s castoff is often another’s treasure—especially when the general manager knows the player personally.
According to NHL insider Chris Johnston, the Toronto Maple Leafs have emerged as a potential landing spot for Mangiapane. With his agent, Allain Roy, actively gauging the market to navigate his client’s no-trade clause, a move seems imminent. While Mangiapane’s stock has plummeted in Alberta, the Leafs might be the perfect environment for a resurgence. Here is why this low-risk gamble could pay off for Toronto.
The Brad Treliving Connection: Why This Trade Makes Sense
If you have followed Brad Treliving’s management style over the years, you know he loves familiarity. He trusts “his guys.” Treliving was the GM in Calgary when Mangiapane erupted for 35 goals, establishing himself as one of the premier tenacious wingers in the league.
There is an inherent logic to this rumor that goes beyond just nostalgia. The Toronto Maple Leafs are entering the deadline season with a depleted cupboard of draft capital. They simply do not have the assets to go big-game hunting for premier rentals without mortgaging a future they are trying to protect.
This is where Mangiapane fits the bill. The acquisition cost here would be negligible—likely a late-round pick or a swap of bad contracts—because the Edmonton Oilers are desperate to clear the roster spot and cap space.
Expert Insight: Is the Tank Empty?
From my perspective, the risk here is minimal, but valid. I’ve watched Mangiapane closely this season, and he looks a step slower than his “Breadman” days in Calgary or even his stints with the Washington Capitals. He relies on a high-motor, forechecking style; if the legs aren’t there, the effectiveness vanishes.
However, Toronto needs middle-six grit and someone who isn’t afraid to go to the dirty areas of the ice. When Mangiapane is on, he is a pest who can finish. Treliving is banking on the fact that Mangiapane isn’t “washed,” but rather just a poor stylistic fit for the current Oilers system. If Toronto can get the version of Mangiapane that creates havoc on the forecheck, this could be the steal of the deadline. If not? The cost to acquire him is so low that burying the contract or moving on in the summer won’t cripple the franchise.
Sometimes, a change of scenery is all a player needs—especially when the guy bringing you in is the same one who believed in you from the start.
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The post Is a Reunion Looming? Why the Leafs are being linked to Mangiapane appeared first on NHL Trade Rumors.
