Andrew Mangiapane’s time with the Edmonton Oilers was certainly one to forget, and it’s already clear that he’s happy to be in a new situation with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Mangiapane made his debut with the Blackhawks on Friday, a 6-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks, and even in a losing situation, he’s already got plenty to say about the change of scenery for him.

“It’s a great group of guys here, and you see that there’s a lot of young, skilled talent, a lot of life and energy in this dressing room,” Mangiapane said after Friday’s loss. “It’s a fun team to be a part of, and you could just see it on the ice, their skill and talent.”

Mangiapane was dealt from the Oilers to the Blackhawks as a salary dump to provide Edmonton with more cap space at the trade deadline. The Oilers shipped off the winger and a conditional first-round pick in exchange for Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach. Mangiapane is in the first year of a two-year contract with a $3.6 million cap hit.

Mangiapane notched his first point with the Blackhawks, a goal Monday night against the Utah Mammoth, and has held a consistent role on their third line and second power play unit, something which was lacking at times as he struggled to fit in with the Oilers. In 52 games with the Oilers, he had just seven goals and seven assists for 14 points despite having Connor McDavid as his most common linemate, albeit only in 30.8 per cent of Mangiapane’s minutes.

“It was a little tough sledding there in Edmonton, so I’m just happy to get out and have a nice restart and be with a good organization, good team here,” Mangiapane said before Friday’s game. “The guys in the group seem great, and everybody’s been welcoming. It’s an exciting feeling.”

It’s not the first time the Oilers have brought in a winger with the potential to do well alongside McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, only to see them struggle. Last season, the Oilers signed Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner for similar reasons, and while they were slightly more productive than Mangiapane, they both still fell short of expectations.

Mangiapane will make his return to Edmonton on April 2nd when the Blackhawks visit to play the Oilers.

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