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Oilers free agent targets: Why Anthony Mantha is a high-stakes gamble
Pittsburgh Penguins Anthony Mantha
Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Jun 30, 2026, 09:00 EDTUpdated: Jun 30, 2026, 11:31 EDT
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The Edmonton Oilers love to sign former top-six wingers.
Following the 2023-24 season, the Oilers re-signed all of the supporting cast that got them to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals, as well as Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner. After another Stanley Cup Finals loss, the Oilers turned to Andrew Mangiapane.
None of the three moves worked out for the Oilers. Arvidsson was the best of the bunch, scoring 15 goals and 27 points in 67 games, but just two goals and seven points in 15 playoff games. Last off-season, he was traded to the Boston Bruins for a fifth-rounder in 2027 and proceeded to score 25 goals and 54 points.
Skinner, a six-time 30-plus goal scorer, potted just 16 goals and 29 points in 72 games, but hey, at least he made his playoff debut and even scored a goal. He was only signed to a one-year deal, signed with the San Jose Sharks last off-season, and played just 32 games before he was waived.
And then you have Mangiapane. He fit better as a middle-six forward and had a good start to the season but crashed hard. Over 52 games with the Oilers, Mangiapane scored just seven goals and 14 points in 52 games before being packaged with their 2027 first for Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach.
All of this is to say that the Oilers have a type: They love to sign a winger early in free agency and get them to play a role they don’t fit in. If there’s a candidate for them this season, it’d be Anthony Mantha, who ranks as Daily Faceoff’s ninth-best free agent.

Anthony Mantha’s fit in the Oilers’ lineup

All three of those players had scored at least 30 goals once in their career, but were coming off seasons that ranged from injured, mediocre, and okay. The difference between Mantha and the three aforementioned players is that Mantha is coming off a 30-goal season.
Last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Mantha scored a career-best 33 goals and 64 points, but went cold in the playoffs. Over six games, he mustered just one assist as the Penguins fell in six games to the Philadelphia Flyers.
What’s more impressive is that Mantha was coming off a long layoff thanks to an ACL tear, a rather significant injury for a player. He’s never been a burner, but his maximum skating speed of 22.86 mph ranked in the 81st percentile last season. Paired with solid skating ability is a strong shot.
Mantha seemingly figured something out with the Penguins, but it isn’t the first time he’s been a productive scorer in the National Hockey League. Drafted 20th overall in 2013 by the Detroit Red Wings, Mantha scored 24 goals in 2017-18, 25 goals in 2018-19 and 23 goals in 2023-24.
The big knock on Mantha has always been consistency and a lack of effort. At his best, he can score upwards of 20 goals, and even scored 33 away from Sidney Crosby last season on the Penguins’ third line. But he’s not terrific defensively, even with the solid underlying numbers in 2025-26.
With Mantha on the ice during five-on-five action, the Penguins out-scored opposition 60-46 for 56.6 percent of the goal share, while also owning 50.70 percent of the expected goal share. Since leaving the Red Wings, he’s a good bet to have both of the goal share and expected goal share over 50 percent.
It’s easy to see a fit on the Oilers, as Mantha was a productive third-liner, but should they pursue him?

Should the Oilers pursue Mantha?

The Oilers need a top six forward. It’s not the biggest priority this off-season, but it’s something they’ve needed since the start of the Connor McDavid/Leon Draisaitl era. With Alex Tuch now off the market, if the Oilers wish to acquire a scoring winger in free agency, Mantha is one of the best wingers available.
He also won’t cost nearly as much as Tuch, or cost assets to acquire. That said, consistency issues have been an issue for Mantha throughout his career and his 33 goals are coming during a contract year.
There’s a lot of risk with the 6-foot-5, 240-pound winger. If it’s a short-term deal like the ones Arvdisson, Skinner, or Mangiapane signed the past two off-seasons, that is intriguing. But if he’s commanding a four- or five-year deal with significant money, it’s best to steer clear and find the top six forwards elsewhere.

Other Oilers free agent targets…

Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Oilersnation, FlamesNation, and Blue Jays Nation. Follow her on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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