Oilers News & Rumours: Howard, Hutson, Mangiapane, Ingram, Pickard

The Edmonton Oilers are hoping they can win their first Stanley Cup since 1990 this season, after coming up short in the Stanley Cup Final in the previous two campaigns. With some changes in the offseason, the Oilers seemed confident in their ability to make it back to the postseason, despite losing several key pieces in free agency. With the new year upon us, the Oilers have some new challenges to face.

In this edition of Oilers News and Rumours, we take a look at the recalls of Isaac “Ike” Howard and Quinn Hutson, and how it seems as though they will round out a “kid line” with Matthew Savoie. As well, we dive into the speculation surrounding struggling forward Andrew Mangiapane. Lastly, we look at the return of Connor Ingram and what his future could look like with the Oilers.

Howard & Hutson Recalled, Paired With Savoie at Practice

The Oilers announced recently that they had assigned forward Max Jones to the American Hockey League (AHL), which led fans to believe someone was returning from injury. However, the Oilers announced on Friday (Jan. 2) morning that they had recalled forwards Ike Howard and Quinn Hutson, who have been playing extremely well in the AHL with the Bakersfield Condors.

The #Oilers have recalled forwards Isaac Howard & Quinn Hutson from the @Condors. https://t.co/1qBU65WqbX

— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) January 2, 2026

At practice on Friday, Hutson and Howard were placed on a line with Matthew Savoie, creating what some fans have called the “kids line.” The Oilers play the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday (Jan. 3), with Hutson and Howard both expected to play.

Andrew Mangiapane Trade Speculation Rises

The Oilers decided to healthy scratch Andrew Mangiapane in a recent game, leading fans to speculate whether or not the two sides were working on finding him a fresh start. Mangiapane has a no-trade clause and has struggled offensively this season, and after Elliotte Friedman suggested Mangiapane could be the odd man out when the team is fully healthy, Tom Gazzola and Shawn Belle decided to drop their own report as well.

Hearing that Andrew Mangiapane’s agent has been given permission by the Oilers to seek a trade.

— Hello Hockey with Tom Gazzola & Shawn Belle (@HelloHockeyShow) December 30, 2025

Nobody else has confirmed this report, and while it could very well become a possibility, it seems as though the two sides are trying to find some sort of solution, whether that be trying to figure out where he fits on the team or finding him a new home. Mangiapane has found himself slipping down the depth chart, and with Jake Walman and Tristan Jarry inching towards a return from injury, someone will have to come out to activate them off of injured reserve.

This situation will be one to watch as the 2026 Trade Deadline approaches.

Connor Ingram or Calvin Pickard?

The Oilers have had goaltending issues for a while, and even after the acquisition of Jarry from the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier in the season, fans were still calling for an upgrade on Calvin Pickard, just in case of any injury issues.

Jarry did end up getting hurt and is expected to be out until mid-January, which led to the recall of Connor Ingram, who fans were concerned wasn’t going to play well considering his lacklustre numbers in the AHL before joining the Oilers, but he has been a pleasant surprise.

Ingram, who is 28 years old, has played four games, winning two of them, while posting a 3.28 goals-against-average (GAA), a .883 save percentage (SV%), and a -1.5 goals-saved-above-expected (GSAX).

Ingram had a rough showing recently against the Boston Bruins, which tanked his stats that looked solid up until that point, but fans have wondered if the Oilers would place Pickard on waivers when Jarry is ready to return.

The Oilers will have to make a decision soon, because while the likelihood of Pickard getting claimed isn’t too high, it’s possible they won’t want to risk losing organizational depth between the pipes.

As the 2025-26 season moves along, be sure to continue following The Hockey Writers as your source for news, updates, and more from around the NHL and the hockey world.