One of the biggest NHL trade rumors hit the wire on Wednesday night, with reports surfacing about the Edmonton Oilers finally finding a taker for beleaguered winger Andrew Mangiapane.
Mangiapane has been on the trade block for weeks now. With very limited interest in the 29-year-old, the Oilers had no choice but to waive him last week in order to clear cap space.
Now, a new report has emerged from insider Frank Seravalli. According to the latest NHL trade rumors, the Oilers will be sending Mangiapane to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for veteran forward Jason Dickinson.
Additionally, pieces will be going to each team. The chatter posits that the Oilers will be sending a conditional pick. Considering the Blackhawks are doing the Oilers a solid, that pick is a 2027 protected first-rounder.
The Blackhawks will also be sending another piece the Oilers’ way to complete the deal. This has to be one of the most fascinating NHL trade rumors, as the Blackhawks don’t really seem like a team that could want someone like Mangiapane.
But the deal makes sense.
The Blackhawks will be retaining 50% on Dickinson’s $4.25 million cap hit. The 30-year-old will be a UFA this summer. As such, the Blackhawks don’t really lose much by making good on these NHL trade rumors.
As for the Oilers, they get out from under Mangiapane’s cap hit. That’s why the club can afford to make this deal happen.
NHL Trade Rumors Finally End for Mangiapane
The Oilers signed Mangiapane this past offseason, hoping to get a solid top-six winger who could potentially play with Connor McDavid. However, the Toronto native struggled out of the gate. That situation forced Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch to try him out at various points throughout the lineup.
Mangiapane’s ineffectiveness fueled initial NHL trade rumors. However, his no-trade clause quickly got in the way. The clause made it even harder for the Oilers to find a willing partner for Mangiapane.
The NHL trade rumors culminated with the Oilers waiving the former 30-goal scorer. But it seems the Mangiapane will finally get a fresh start in Chicago.
Dickinson Replacement for Janmark
Meanwhile, the Oilers were likely looking for a decent depth center following the loss of Mattias Janmark to injury. The Oilers won’t likely have the veteran center picking up the fourth line. As such, Dickinson makes sense for the Oilers.
Some of the NHL trade rumors surrounding the Oilers posited the club was looking for a middle-six forward, preferably a center. However, the cap situation and lack of available forwards made it challenging for the Oilers to find what they wanted.
So, the next-best thing is someone like Dickinson to pick up the slack. Depending on the situation, Dickinson could even move up to the third line, dropping another veteran, Adam Henrique, to the 4C role.
At the very least, the Oilers have options now. The trade with Chicago was expensive, but something that needed to happen before the March 6 trade deadline.