As the Edmonton Oilers move into January, they are hoping they can hold their lead at the top of the Pacific Division and pull away as the trade deadline approaches. They started the 2025-26 season a bit slowly, but have seemingly figured things out as they aim to make another deep playoff run. As the 2026 Olympic break approaches, the Oilers may have some changes lined up as they look to bolster their lineup amd push for their first Stanley Cup since 1990.
In this edition of Oilers News and Rumours, we take a look at the continued speculation surrounding struggling forward Andrew Mangiapane, an injury update on Adam Henrique, and a potential fit with forward Ryan Strome.
Andrew Mangiapane Scratched Again, Trade Speculation Continues
The Oilers played the Winnipeg Jets recently, where they picked up a 4-3 win, and Mangiapane was sitting in the press box again. Being a healthy scratch has seemingly become common for Mangiapane recently, and trade speculation continues as many analysts and fans around the league expect him to be traded soon.
In a recent report from David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, he revealed that the Anaheim Ducks, Winnipeg Jets, and Detroit Red Wings have all spoken to the Oilers about Mangiapane, but he hinted that they weren’t the only teams that have checked in on his availability.
Pagnotta added that the Oilers were looking to add a two-way type of forward in return for Mangiapane.
Oilers Place Henrique on Injured Reserve
After suffering an injury in a recent game, the Oilers announced they had placed forward Adam Henrique on injured reserve, and added that he would be out until after the Olympic break.
The #Oilers have placed Adam Henrique on injured reserve. The veteran forward is expected to return following the Olympic break. pic.twitter.com/Lett8k2kQF
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) January 7, 2026
Henrique, who is 35 years old, had played 43 games before getting injured, scoring two goals and adding eight assists for 10 points. Earlier this season, he celebrated playing 1000 career NHL games, and has now reached 1036.
Oilers Linked to Ryan Strome, Deal Seems Unlikely
In a recent episode of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Elliotte Friedman discussed a potential deal between the Oilers and Ducks involving Mangiapane. He mentions that he had heard rumblings about a potential player swap of Mangiapane for Ryan Strome, but with the cap hits making things tough on the Oilers’ side, Friedman doesn’t think it’s possible.
Mangiapane has a $3.6 million cap hit, while Strome has a $5 million cap hit. If the Oilers were considering moving out Mangiapane, they would likely prefer to add some cap space to make some other moves closer to the 2026 Trade Deadline, which is why a move for Strome doesn’t make much sense.
As well, Strome spent a little over a season with the Oilers already, playing 100 games between the 2017-18 and 2018-19 season, where he nothced 36 points. He may be comfortable in a return to the Oilers, but with the Oilers already having a strong top-nine forward group, bringing him in may not be the best idea for either side, especially if he is hoping for a larger role and a fresh start.
Time will tell if Mangiapane gets moved at all, but if he does, I wouldn’t expect Strome to be part of the return.
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.
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