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Oilers insider suggests team will waive veteran forward as pressure for a trade
Photo credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Speculation surrounding Andrew Mangiapane's status with the Edmonton Oilers continues to grow, with the team's options narrowing.
At this point, the best move for Oilers' GM Stan Bowman might be to assign the struggling forward to Bakersfield, for no other reason than to clear some cap space, as Jim Matheson suggests below.
Analyst voices consensus over declining forward
I don't know that the Oilers would have to retain money at this point, but what you can do is cross off any return,» said Seravalli. «And for the Oilers, the point should be to try and move on from the contract and the fit. It hasn't worked to this point.
- Frank Seravalli
- Frank Seravalli
That much is certain. With only 5G and 11 points over 40 games with Edmonton, his roster spot is tenuous at best. Yet, there have been reports suggesting that other NHL teams could be interested in the 29-year old Toronto native, with the Leafs being one.
Whether a trade is the best option for both team and player is unclear at this point, though a fresh start could help Andrew and a salary-cap saving will definitely help the Oilers.
However, due to his disappointing performance, averaging just over 13 minutes of ice time per game and struggling with point production, teams may not risk taking on a $3.6M cap hit and one more year of control.
All signs point to a demotion to the AHL, in particular with the recent call-up of Howard and Hutson, and the imminent return of Kapanen from the IR.
Stay tuned for updates to the Oilers' lineup for today's game against the Flyers.