Much has been made of the struggling stars of the Calgary Flames this season. Through 34 games, they own a 14-16-5 record, and that is in large part due to their star talent not performing. In fact, if their big guns were performing to the levels they have in past years, the Flames could very well be one of the better teams in the Western Conference.
Related: 3 Takeaways From Flames’ Disappointing 2-1 Loss to the Kraken
The most disappointing star this season has undeniably been Jonathan Huberdeau, though he is far from the only one not pulling his weight. Elias Lindholm hasn’t been anywhere close to his best, while Nazem Kadri got off to a really slow start before beginning to get back on track. Meanwhile, in between the pipes, Jacob Markstrom has been great in some games and less than stellar in others. But there is another struggling player who hasn’t been brought up nearly as much but has shown in the past he can be a very solid offensive contributor.
Mangiapane in Major Offensive Slump
Through the first three and a half seasons of his NHL career, Andrew Mangiapane was only getting better and better. Having been picked in the sixth round of the 2015 Draft, it appeared as though the Flames had found a real diamond in the rough, as the now 27-year-old seemed like he had true star potential.
That star potential truly showed in the 2021-22 season, where he popped off with a career-high 35 goals and 55 points. On top of that, he showed great defensive awareness and looked like a player who could be a potential Selke Trophy winner in the years to come. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case for the man known in Calgary as ‘Bread Man’.
Like many Flames, Mangiapane took a major step backward last season. His goal output dropped to 17, while his points decreased to 43. While fans were optimistic that several players would bounce back in 2023-24, it felt like Mangiapane was a near lock to do so.
Instead, Mangiapane is having an even worse season. Through 34 games, he has found the back of the net just six times, putting him on pace for just 14 goals. That would mark his lowest total since the 2018-19 season, where he only suited up for 44 games with the Flames. It is a shocking turn of events for a player who was improving at a rapid rate early on in his NHL career.
Whether or not Mangiapane can get back to being a top-tier goal scorer remains to be seen. It is worth noting that during his 35-goal season, he had a shooting percentage of 18.9. A number that high would suggest some puck luck, though he had an even higher 19.8 percent the season prior and 15.6 percent the year before that. This season, he is down to just 11.3 percent.
Related: Flames Have the Worst Salary-Cap Era Contract in Huberdeau
Thanks to his huge outburst in 2021-22, Mangiapane earned himself a three-year, $17.4 million deal that carries a cap hit of $5.8 million. Other players earning similar salaries include Adam Pelech, Trevor Zegras, and Pavel Buchnevich. While Zegras has struggled when healthy this season, he is young and has proven early in his career to be a great talent, while Buchnevich and Pelech are key contributors to their respective team’s success. At this time, the same cannot be said about Mangiapane. Through the first year and a half of his deal, he has far underperformed his salary.
Hot Streak Could Be Coming
The one thing about Mangiapane, even in his career-best season, is that he tends to be a very streaky player. He is in the midst of a major slump right now, having found the back of the net just once in his past 16 games. If he were to go on a hot streak in the near future, it would help the offensively struggling Flames out in a big way, and could perhaps put them back in the playoff conversation.
What may help get Mangiapane going is some time on the power play. That is an area that has been a sore spot for the Flames all season, and giving a player with his release an opportunity may prove to be beneficial. He is currently on neither unit, and may be worth giving another look to if the Flames’ struggles on the man advantage continue. Until that opportunity arises, however, he needs to find a way to contribute more on the scoresheet.
