In a recent trade board article<\/a> from trusted pundit Nick Kypreos, it was suggested that the Oilers and Montreal Canadiens could try to swap two of their struggling players. For the Oilers, it was Andrew Mangiapane<\/a>, and for the Habs, it was Patrik Laine<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is interest in Laine because he\u2019ll be coming on an expiring contract. He would be a freebie with upside, whether for a playoff team hoping to find a cheap-to-acquire scorer, or for a non-playoff team like Calgary to get a free look at him before considering him long-term,\u201d Kypreos said. He continued: \u201cEdmonton\u2019s Andrew Mangiapane is also on my list, and it makes me wonder if a Montreal-Edmonton match might be found here.\u201d<\/p>\n Laine, who is 27 years old, hasn\u2019t played since October 16th. In just five games this season, he had one assist. Last season, he scored 20 goals and added 13 assists for 33 points through 52 games, and seemed to have found a scoring touch again. Unfortunately, he ran into some injury issues again this season.<\/p>\n Mangiapane, who is 29 years old, has scored six goals and added six assists for 12 points through 49 games with the Oilers this season. He has struggled to find a fit with the Oilers, after signing with them<\/a> in the offseason, and the expectation is that he will be traded before the 2026 Trade Deadline. <\/p>\n Theoretically, swapping two struggling players makes sense. Giving them both a fresh start and giving them both an opportunity to succeed elsewhere gives both the player and the team a new look. The main issue is the cap concerns, even if the Canadiens retained 50% of Laine\u2019s $8.7 million contract and dropped the cap hit to $4,350,000.<\/p>\n Money Among Reasons This Trade Won\u2019t Happen<\/p>\n The Oilers will be making some changes between now and the trade deadline, but considering their need for a right-shot defender and a top-six forward, adding money in Laine doesn\u2019t make sense right now. They would also have to move on from Mattias Janmark to make this work, and acquiring Laine gives them next to no flexibility to make any other trades.<\/p>\n The Canadiens would be a better fit for Mangiapane than the Oilers, but they also could benefit from clearing at least half of Laine\u2019s contract, rather than taking on another struggling forward and barely clearing up any cap space.<\/p>\n Laine thrives on the power play, and while he could elevate the Oilers\u2019 second power play unit, there is no home for him on the first unit, and the likelihood that he gets much ice time on the man advantage in most games is slim to none.<\/p>\n At the end of the day, both forwards could benefit from a change of scenery, but the fit between the Habs and Oilers doesn\u2019t make sense right now. The Oilers could revisit bringing in Laine when he hits the open market in the offseason, but for a team looking to build a championship-contending roster, he doesn\u2019t fit the bill. <\/p>\n As the 2025-26 season moves along, be sure to continue following\u00a0The Hockey Writers\u00a0as your source for news, updates, and more from around the NHL and the hockey world.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a> <\/a>![\"Andrew](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Andrew-Mangiapane-Oilers-1200x800.jpg\")
Andrew Mangiapane, Edmonton Oilers (Perry Nelson-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n![\"SUBSCRIBE](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Oilers_Banner-1200x122.jpg\")
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