Good morning, everyone, and a happy Monday to you all. As always, I’ve got a post-draft, pre-free agency mailbag ready to go after taking your questions and sending them to the crew for their take on whatever’s on your mind. This week, we’re discussing Andrew Mangiapane’s spot in the lineup, Curtis Lazar, Trent Frederic’s contract, and more. If you’ve got a question you’d like to ask, email it to me at baggedmilk@oilersnation.com or on Twitter at @jsbmbaggedmilk, and I’ll get to you as soon as I can.

He didn’t score much in Washington, because he mainly played with Lars Eller or Nic Dowd. He never played in the top six. He will play in the top-six in Edmonton, to start at least. I see him in top-six and on second PP unit.

He’ll be a middle-six winger who finds his way onto the penalty kill. If you look at his time on ice from last season, he doesn’t need much time to score goals.

I seem him as a middle six (sometimes top-six) forward that can kill penalties and chip in 14-20 goals.

I didn’t expect them to make a major splash. I did think they’d add a goalie with NHL experience to battle Pickard. They still might over the summer. I’ve believed since the season ended their big moves will come closer to the trade deadline.

I am happy he didn’t overspend on this free agency class. There wasn’t much talent out there, but Mangiapane and Lazar filled the voids on good deals. A goaltender is a conversation that won’t go away, but there wasn’t a significant upgrade out there.

After seeing some of the other deals that got signed, I’m happy Stan Bowman didn’t give a 4 x $4.5 million contract to Cody Ceci, you know?

He and Philp will battle for the 4th line centre job. Lazar can also play the wing. He outlined how last season he had a knee issue most of the year. “I dealt with injuries last year. I had knee surgery and it went well, however, the screw they inserted was supposed to dissolve, but it didn’t and it started to cause pain and discomfort. It was frustrating at times wondering if I’d feel good. But six weeks ago I had it removed and now I feel great. I’m moving without pain and for the first time in a year I’m able to move well.”

He will push Philp. Philp will need to earn the spot, and I could see them splitting time down the middle.

They’ll both be full time NHLers next season. The Oilers lacked right handed centremen last season and now they have two.

I think that’s a good bet. But I also like having competition for lineup spots too. Earned not given.

Because in three years when the cap is $113m his $3.8m will be equivalent to a $2.7m player last season. In Frederic’s first three NHL seasons he averaged 0.19 pts/game (119GP), in his last three he was a at 0.40 (219 GP). McDavid is a big fan of Frederic. When Frederic arrived in Edmonton and was hurt he rehabbed with McDavid. They spent a lot of time together, as McDavid had him offer for dinner most nights. He likes the tenacity Frederic brings and his versatility to play all three positions. I’d be surprised if the first 5-6 years of his contract don’t age quite well. Edmonton needs some grit and physicality and Frederic has that. The player Oilers fans saw in the playoffs was about 60% of what he can bring as he was limited due to his high ankle sprain.

Connor McDavid isn’t running the team so not every move needs to be controlled by him. Anyways, go look at the players that signed contracts on July 1st. Trent Frederic is better than the majority of them. Even if it doesn’t work out, it’s a trade able contract so we need to stop acting like he’s being paid $12 million per year.

Word on the street is that the players liked playing with Trent Frederic for the physicality he brings as well. Remember, last year was his worst offensive season in a while. He’s only 27 and more likely to rebound than fall off a cliff. At least, that’s what the Kool-Aid is telling me.

The Riverhawks have done a fantastic job making baseball a great event. The Edmonton Stingers are highly entertaining with great food and beverage prices. The Elks in-game experience has improved, they just need to win some games and the fans will come back. All three offer something different, but good. The Riverhawks and Elks have the “outdoor” experience, while the Stingers have the quickest pace and fans are closest to the court. I enjoy all of them for different reasons.

The Sherwood Park Crusaders had two players drafted into the NHL this past class, so I would highly recommend them. Although, I don’t scout there anymore so, instead, go watch the Penticton Vees if you’re in the area!

I do love me a Riverhawks game. I also like going to Stingers games. They’re another affordable option that puts a pretty damned fun product on the court.

Star Mechanical is one of Edmonton’s biggest locally owned and operated plumbing and heating businesses. They have been working within the community for over 20 years, and many of the homes built in Edmonton over the last two decades have had their plumbing and heating systems installed by Star Mechanical.  Visit them at starmechanical.ca to schedule an appointment and let them help keep your home running smoothly.