The Edmonton Oilers healthy scratched Andrew Mangiapane again last night, as the Oilers took on the Los Angeles Kings, and it seems as though his time as a member of the Oilers is coming to an end. Recently, he has found himself as the odd man out, and with the Oilers needing to find some money to activate both Jake Walman and Tristan Jarry off of injured reserve, they may be looking to offload Mangiapane sooner rather than later.
Related: Oilers News & Rumours: Mangiapane Speculation Continues, Henrique, Strome
One team that has been tossed around as a potential fit for Mangiapane is the Detroit Red Wings, who have been having a solid 2025-26 campaign and could use some added forward depth for a deep playoff run.
Andrew Mangiapane, Edmonton Oilers (Perry Nelson-Imagn Images)
In this article, we will take a look at a hypothetical deal between the Oilers and Red Wings, sending Mangiapane to the Red Wings for a fresh start. Keep in mind, while a deal for Mangiapane seems imminent, there is no indication he is being dealt to the Red Wings as of the time of this article. This is purely a mock trade.
Red Wings Land Mangiapane, Oilers Clear Cap Space & Add Depth
Mangiapane would have to waive his trade clause to be traded to the Red Wings, but that likely wouldn’t be a hurdle, considering he seems to be open to a fresh start anywhere in the NHL. The Red Wings also have enough cap space to take on the remainder of his contract without having to worry about the Oilers needing to retain any money.
The Oilers have reportedly been looking at adding a depth forward in return for Mangiapane, someone who would be open to playing a lesser role and would be happy playing in the Oilers’ bottom-six forward group, which the Red Wings would likely be happy to part with.
At first, I wondered if someone like James Van Riemsdyk would make sense as someone the Oilers would be interested in acquiring, as he only has a $1 million cap hit and has been playing well, but the Red Wings likely wouldn’t want to part with him, nor would he be someone who would be open to playing a 13th forward kind of role. On top of that, he likely takes playing time away from Isaac Howard.
Realistically, I can see the Red Wings acquiring Mangiapane in exchange for Sheldon Dries and a seventh-round pick. Dries, who is 31 years old, hasn’t played in the NHL since the 2022-23 season, but has 122 games of experience under his belt, having notched 26 points.
He would likely be open to playing a depth role and moving between the NHL and the American Hockey League (AHL), and if the Oilers run into injury issues, Dries would be the first player called up. A move like this allows the Oilers to keep Quinn Hutson in the AHL to continue dominating and building confidence, rather than bouncing up and down between leagues.
A move like this benefits both teams. The Oilers free up cap space and add a forward who fits exactly what they need right now, while the Red Wings add a player who needs a fresh start and could find his game in a different system.
Time will tell if the Oilers trade Mangiapane, and if the Red Wings decide to make an offer for him, but if this deal comes across the table for either team, it would make a ton of sense.
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