So, Andrew Mangiapane played the first shift for Bakersfield in their Tuesday morning game with the Colorado Eagles, and not another one.

That legitimizes him being an American Leaguer, playing a game, doesn’t matter how many minutes or seconds. There are no more paper transactions allowed. To be eligible for a recall to the Edmonton Oilers are any other team, say, if they do trade him before Friday’s deadline, Mangiapane needed at least one AHL game on the books

After clearing waivers Monday and being sent to the minors for the first time in eight years, back to when he was a Calgary Flames prospect playing in Stockton, Mangiapane’s status remains up in the air as the Edmonton Oilers want to clear his total cap space.

He got through his short shift unscathed as the Condors built up a 3-1 first-period lead with James Hamblin, Ike Howard and Quinn Hutson scoring for the Condors against the Avalanche’s farm team. The Condors eventually won 5-4 in a shootout with Roby Jarventie scoring late in the third to tie it.

Oilers GM Stan Bowman put Mangiapane on waivers, hoping somebody might take his $3.6-million cap hit for this year and next, but, of course, there were no bites. They did save $1.15 million by burying the contract, which helped them get D-man Connor Murphy in a Hawks’ trade.

But to move Mangiapane’s money so they can look at adding a third-line centre to maybe play between Vasily Podkolzin and either Kasperi Kapanen or Trent Frederic, they know the parameters. They will have to attach a trade sweetener in the form of a draft pick with whatever team they are talking to. Best bet is their third-round pick in 2026, or, maybe they give up a prospect.

The Oilers sweet spot as third-line centre would be Toronto’s Nic Roy, who was the warm-body compensation for Vegas signing free-agent Mitch Marner. Roy checks all the boxes. He’s won a Stanley Cup with the Golden Knights, he’s only 29, he has another year at an affordable $3 million. He shoots right, he’s 215 pounds and played a lot against the Oilers in the playoffs with Vegas, so the core guys know him. On average he’s a 30-point centre in his career but has 20 in 58 Leafs’ games.

There’s a feeling the Leafs may want to move John Tavares to centre the third line next season at his age, which would make Roy expendable. What’s the acquisition cost over and above, say, Mangiapane being part of it? Maybe a second-round pick — the Oilers have theirs in 2026 — and a prospect.

UNDER THE KNIFE

Oilers winger Mattias Janmark, bothered by a bum shoulder for years, reportedly will have surgery Wednesday. He will miss the rest of the regular season, 21 games, and maybe into the playoffs, which will start third week of April.

“He’s not going to be back playing for a while,” said Bowman, who moved his $1.45-million cap hit to LTIR Monday. The timing of him leaving injured in Anaheim last week and the subsequent medical procedure dovetailed nicely with the trade for Murphy in terms of using his cap space, but maybe we’re a conspiracy theorist.

One noticeable thing: Janmark missed the first month while hurt but no games after that. He played every single game from Nov. 10 to Feb. 25, 43 in all.

LOOKING DOWN THE ROAD

Bowman has two UFA wingers, Kapanen and Leon Draisaitl’s right-winger Jack Roslovic, but says there’s no substantive negotiations on new contracts. Kapanen is on a one-year deal at $1.3 million and Roslovic one year at $1.5 million. They might be able to get Kapanen, more of a bottom-six forward, at a lower dollar point and term, but the second-liner Roslovic, who has 16 in 48 games, might want three or four years and around $4 million as he closes in on 20 goals.

“They’re both interesting players who could have a future with us,” said Bowman. Kappy’s had a couple of injuries this year but when he’s been in the lineup consistently he’s been very good for us,” said Bowman. Kapanen has 12 points in 20 games.

“And Jack has scored a lot of goals without much power-play time except for when Zach (Hyman) was out. For the most part he’s only been a five-on-five player he’s done some good things. Right now the focus is on the here and now, though.”

This ‘n that: Matt Tomkins won the Bako game Tuesday while his new parter Calvin Pickard was backup. Pickard has played two AHL games with a 1-1 record and a .905 save percentage … As the Oilers scuffle around the NHL’s weakest Pacific division, their hated Cup-beating Panthers are really on the ropes, eight points out of a playoff spot. GM Bill Zito is monitoring things closely to see if he should trade 38-year-old UFA goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. One team that certainly makes sense as a possible trade partner is the surging Sabres, who are finally going to end their 14-year playoff drought. Deep in goalies, maybe they would trade their Finnish tender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. The Panthers have three Finns on their team now … Murphy is an American citizen, born in Columbus, but his longtime NHL defenceman and assistant coach father Gord is Canadian. Gord, 58, played for Philly, Boston, Florida and Atlanta and was behind the bench for the Blue Jackets, Panthers, Flyers and Rangers.