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What has gone wrong with the Andrew Mangiapane experiment in Edmonton?
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Photo credit: © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
NHL_Sid
Feb 1, 2026, 13:00 ESTUpdated: Feb 1, 2026, 13:41 EST
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Multiple top-nine forwards left the Edmonton Oilers organization this past summer, with names such as Connor Brown, Corey Perry, Viktor Arvidsson, Jeff Skinner, and more.
It seemed that management decided to primarily bank on internal growth to offset those departures, particularly from prospects Matthew Savoie and Isaac Howard. The Oilers added only one notable, established forward with real NHL top‑nine experience in the off-season: Andrew Mangiapane.
Many Edmonton fans were already quite familiar with Mangiapane. The 29-year-old forward appeared in seven seasons with the Calgary Flames, with his tenure in Calgary being highlighted by a 35-goal season in 2021-22. His production had dipped in the years since, but most still projected him as a solid top‑nine forward, one who could at least be an effective third‑line winger if not a regular option alongside Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl in the top-six.
So far, however, Mangiapane has fallen well short of those expectations.
Through 47 games this season, Mangiapane has just 6 goals and 12 points, just barely equating to a 20-point pace over 82 games. In addition, he holds a team-worst even-strength goal differential of -18, which also currently ranks second last among all forwards this season. In Edmonton’s most recent game against the Minnesota Wild, Mangiapane was healthy scratched, which has occurred on several occasions this season.
As the trade deadline approaches, it has become increasingly clear that both the Oilers and Mangiapane are ready to move on. Back in December, Tom Gazzola reported that Edmonton had granted Mangiapane’s agent permission to seek a trade, and according to TSN’s Pierre Lebrun, Edmonton has had “ongoing conversations with teams open-minded about a return” for the winger. As he carries a $3.6M cap-hit, the Oilers could certainly benefit from moving Mangiapane to create space for an acquisition, potentially a different forward that could hopefully make a more meaningful impact than Mangiapane has.
With a trade appearing increasingly like a matter of when rather than if, it’s worth examining what has gone wrong with the Mangiapane experiment in Edmonton. Let’s take a closer look.
*All stats via EvolvingHockey and Natural Stat Trick unless stated otherwise

Comparing Mangiapane’s production to past seasons

Firstly, here is a year-to-year timeline of Mangiapane’s five-on-five points per hour rate over his career.
Mangiapane had a pair of excellent seasons in 2020-21 and 2021-22, scoring 35 goals in the latter season as mentioned earlier. But ever since, his production has steadily decreased in each season. The lowest point on that graph is this season, in which he has averaged a mere 1.06 points per hour at five-on-five.
Mangiapane’s production decline seems to be closely linked to injuries. After the 2022-23 season, Mangiapane underwent shoulder surgery, and ever since, his five-on-five production rate never hit the mark of a top-six winger again.
Specifically, it has seemed to have a significant impact on his individual shooting rates. From 2021-22 through 2022-23, Mangiapane comfortably averaged over 8 shots per hour at five-on-five. But in the next two seasons (i.e. after his shoulder surgery), it declined to about 5 and a half, and in Edmonton, it is at just 4.3, ranking second-last among all of Edmonton’s forwards.
In that sense, perhaps in hindsight, this wasn’t unpredictable. Before the season, I didn’t think ~35 points would be an unreasonable projection, granted he remained healthy and spent most of his time in the top-six, but perhaps his shoulder injuries have been more detrimental to his play than I anticipated.
Furthermore, his metrics are not far from off from his underwhelming season with Washington in 2024-25. Many, including me, had thought he would improve in Edmonton, particularly considering the fact that Mangiapane’s most common centre with the Capitals was Lars Eller, whereas he would have the opportunity to play with McDavid and Draisaitl in Edmonton. But even with better linemates, Mangiapane has continued to underwhelm.

With all of that being said…

If Mangiapane were the only winger to have underachieved in Edmonton, it would be logical and simple to pin the blame on his injury history and personal ability for his disappointing results in Edmonton. However, that is not the case.
There have been several forwards who have experienced noticeable production declines after arriving in Edmonton. Jeff Skinner, Viktor Arvidsson, Adam Henrique, and (especially) Trent Frederic have all seen drops in points per hour (at five‑on‑five and across all strengths) compared to their numbers with previous teams.  Sure, one could make specific explanations for each player’s decline; Henrique’s age, Arvidsson’s back injury, Frederic’s ankle injuries, and so on. But, can five separate cases really be dismissed as a simple coincidence?
It is why I would point some fingers at the coaching staff here. 
Ever since Kris Knoblauch’s arrival, Edmonton as a team has seen a decline in offence. Back in 2022-23, the Oilers averaged 2.94 goals per hour at five-on-five, ranking fifth in the league, and 3.97 goals per hour at all-strengths, ranking first in the league. In fact, their 3.97 total goals per hour rate is the second-highest scoring rate by any team in a single season to date in the 21st century.
However, in the past two seasons, the Oilers have averaged 2.48 goals per hour at five-on-five. This season specifically, they rank just 19th in the league in five-on-five offence. That’s not nearly good enough for a team with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on it.
Yes, the Oilers have reached back-to-back cup finals with Knoblauch at the helm. Obviously, that playoff success cannot be dismissed. But at this point, it is absolutely reasonable to question Knoblauch’s impact on Edmonton’s offence and if he is truly getting the best out of his players, particularly considering that the roster is superior to what it was back in 2022-23. 
Going back to Mangiapane, it should be noted that he hasn’t had anything resembling a stable role in Edmonton’s lineup this season. He has played more than 70 minutes on only one line combination, and has logged at least 20 minutes on eight different combinations overall. That level of constant shuffling makes it difficult for any winger to establish chemistry, especially one coming onto their third team in the past three years.
Contrast that with Viktor Arvidsson’s situation this year. In Boston, he has spent the overwhelming majority of his minutes on a single line, playing over 350 minutes alongside Pavel Zacha and Casey Mittelstadt. As a result, the trio has developed excellent chemistry, posting a 65 percent goal share, while Arvidsson himself is on pace for 51‑point pace over 82 games. In Edmonton, where he was moved around frequently and spent 20 or more minutes on seven different line combinations, he managed just 1.36 points per hour at five‑on‑five. This season in Boston, that number has jumped to 2.46. 
This context matters for Mangiapane. I don’t think you can view his results in a vacuum. He simply hasn’t been given the consistency needed to build chemistry or settle into a defined role, and I believe it has had a significant impact on his metrics. And, in general, he is one of several players Knoblauch just hasn’t been able to get the most out of.
All-in-all, there’s a good chance that Mangiapane will be in a different jersey by the end of the season. There’s blame to be had on the player, the coaching, and external factors such as injuries for his underwhelming results. It’s a shame that things didn’t quite work out in Edmonton.
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