The NHL trade deadline is March 6 at 3 pm ET, and teams are already making moves. The Edmonton Oilers have made their next move of the trade season because the Oilers have acquired Connor Murphy from the Chicago Blackhawks.
Now, NHL insider Pierre LeBrun is talking in regards to the next move the Oilers have to make after this trade, speaking on TSN’s Early Trading with Gino Reda.
“Primary priority is to seek out a brand new home for Andrew Mangiapane, who cleared waivers, in fact, it will cost the Oilers to seek out a brand new home for him,” LeBrun said. “He’s got one other 12 months on his deal at $3.6 million, but they need to move that contract before they’ll get to essentially what’s next, which is wanting to go discover a top-nine forward, which looks like, in an ideal world, a third-line center.”
Mangiapane joined the Oilers on a two-year deal ahead of the 2025-26 season, after playing one season with the Wahsington Capitals. He has been a consistent 40-point forward with the Calgary Flames before being traded to the Capitals. He scored just 28 points in his lone 12 months with the Caps and has struggled this 12 months. In 52 games, he has just seven goals and 7 assists. This led to Mangiapane being placed on waivers.
“First, they got to maneuver out Mangiapane. Now we’ll see if moving out Mangiapane is an element of really going out and getting that third-line center. You already know, one name that is been on the market as a possible fit for the Oilers is that of Nic Roy,” LeBrun added. “I’ll just say that while I believe that’s accurate, it’s really more just the incontrovertible fact that Nic Roy of the Leafs is precisely the style of player that will fit what the Oilers are in search of.”
Roy can be a solid third-line center for the Oilers. He’s in his first season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, playing in 58 games with five goals and 15 assists.
Regardless, the franchise needs to enhance if it desires to make a run to a 3rd straight Stanley Cup Final. The Oilers are 29-24-8 on the 12 months, which places them fourth within the Pacific Division and currently holds the ultimate wild card spot. They return to the ice on Tuesday, hosting the Ottawa Senators.