The Edmonton Oilers were aggressive this offseason and chose to sign forward Andrew Mangiapane to a two-year contract to help bolster their forward depth. Some fans questioned the signing, wondering why the team was focused on adding more forwards when their main focus should have been to add goaltending, but Mangiapane’s hot start has silenced any doubters.
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His hot start, having scored two goals in his first two games with the Oilers, shouldn’t come as much of a surprise; in fact, it should’ve been expected. His underlying numbers coming into the new season were impressive, and he was somebody that some fans around the league were really hoping their team would jump on, especially considering the price he signed for.
He has continued to improve over the past few seasons, and when looking at his microstats from the 2024-25 season, it is obvious he is an effective player at both ends of the ice. Coming back from an injury is never easy, but considering how valuable he is at both ends of the ice and how flexible he can be throughout the Oilers’ lineup, he was a smart target to replace the players the team lost this summer.
Mangiapane's microstats from 2024-25, where he had a depth role with the Capitals that went down in the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/cxq5KWrDiX
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 2, 2025
Last season, Mangiapane played with the Washington Capitals, where he scored 14 goals and added 14 assists for 28 points through 81 games. Before that, he spent seven seasons with the Calgary Flames. He recently played his 500th career NHL game, and in that time, he has scored 125 goals and added 120 assists for 245 points.
After losing two key pieces this offseason in Corey Perry and Connor Brown, who were effective when the postseason came around and proved to be valuable depth pieces throughout the regular season, the Oilers were forced to pivot. Being able to beat out other teams that had interest and bring in a player like Mangiapane, who fits extremely well in the Oilers’ system, was a great move, and it was cost-effective in comparison to some of the other free agent options.
Comparing Another Analytical Model & Other Stats
Mangiapane’s point numbers don’t jump off the board too much, but his effectiveness as a two-way forward who can be trusted to play in big moments is exactly the type of player the Oilers needed, especially as a contender. Even considering another analytical model, Mangiapane’s numbers are still impressive.
Andrew Mangiapane has signed with the Edmonton Oilers to a two-year deal with an AAV of $3.6M. I always liked Mangiapane. He's a good two-way winger & has a potential to be great complementary winger for McDavid or Draisaitl in my eyes. pic.twitter.com/TtcCxaTTcs
— Rono (@RonoAnalyst) July 2, 2025
The great thing for the Oilers is how much they can change their lineup around if needed when they’re fully healthy. Mangiapane is likely going to establish himself as a complementary winger for one of Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl, but he has also proven to be effective if he plays in the bottom six.
Another factor that makes Mangiapane an exciting addition is his ability to produce at even strength, rather than relying on the power play to score goals.
This is something worth noting from his 2024-25 season:
— Sid 🇨🇦 (@NHL_Sid) July 2, 2025
Mangiapane with Eller: 0.60 5v5 points/60
Mangiapane without Eller: 1.84 5v5 points/60
Historically, Mangiapane has performed best with skill. On paper, I think he fits well with 97/29.
Obviously, it isn’t a secret that Mangiapane may not be able to drive his own line, but being a good fit with some of the Oilers’ established stars is exactly why they brought him in. If he can score goals, play solid defensively, and kill penalties when asked to do so, he could end up looking like one of the smartest signings around the entire league this past offseason.
With that being said, his underlying numbers and consistency should have prepared fans for his hot start out of the gate. It’s impossible to expect him to maintain this kind of production throughout the remainder of the 2025-26 season, but if he can continue to produce a bit and stay consistent with what his analytics have shown him to be, he could be a key piece to the Oilers’ success as they push for their first Stanley Cup since 1990.
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