The Toronto Maple Leafs could be looking to capitalize on an interesting development in Edmonton. This week, reports have surfaced regarding the Oilers’ potential interest in moving winger Andrew Mangiapane.
In particular, Elliotte Friedman discussed the idea in his 32 Thoughts Podcast on Monday. Friedman expounded on why the Oilers and Mangapiane could be looking at the possibility of a trade to give the 29-year-old a fresh start elsewhere.
Mangiapane, a Toronto native, naturally jumped to the top of the Maple Leafs trade chatter. He would make sense for the Leafs on paper. He’s a scoring winger who could add depth to the middle six.
So, why not explore what a trade could look like? Here’s a look at a potential Maple Leafs-Oilers trade involving Mangiapane:
Maple Leafs get:
Andrew Mangiapane, F
2026 sixth-round pick
Oilers get:
Calle Jarnkrok, F
Simon Benoit, D
The Maple Leafs get Mangianpane, a former 35-goal scorer who has not really lived up to that level since. Still, he has been a consistent 15 to 18-goal winger throughout his career. Playing alongside, say, John Tavares or Nic Roy, Mangiapane would rekindle his scoring touch. The Leafs also get a sixth-rounder as a thank you for taking on Mangiapane’s full cap hit.
In this trade, the Maple Leafs get out from under Calle Jarnkrok’s cap hit. He has a 10-team no-trade clause. But one would have to think he’d be okay with going to the Oilers. The Leafs also move Simon Benoit, who has seemingly fallen off the depth chart. Edmonton could also use Benoit after losing Brett Kulak in the Stuart Skinner trade.
Maple Leafs Take a Bit of a Gamble with Mangiapane
The biggest gamble with Mangiapane is his cap hit. At $3.6 million for the remainder of this season and next, the Maple Leafs would be rolling the dice on him. He would be an offensive presence in the middle six. If he can find a rhythm, Mangiapane could support a sometimes-dormant offensive attack.
If he continues to slide like he has in Edmonton, the Leafs might be saddled with an untradeable asset. Still, one would have to think the Maple Leafs would give Mangiapane a chance to succeed. He saw some playing time with Connor McDavid in Edmonton this season. So, it might not be a stretch to think Toronto could give him a shot with Auston Matthews.
Leafs Might Make this Trade a 1-for-1 Swap
Another approach to this trade could be a 1-for-1 swap involving Matias Maccelli. Maccelli has fallen on hard times himself in Toronto. But he has actually picked up his game lately. He has notched a goal and three assists in his last five games.
As such, moving Maccelli right now might not be the wisest idea. For the Oilers, moreover, Maccelli’s cap hit is nearly identical to that of Mangiapane’s. That’s why Edmonton may balk at the idea of taking Maccelli’s contract on.
A Maccelli-for-Mangiapane swap may be the likeliest route for both clubs. The math works much more easily for sides. Plus, the move would like be a way of giving both players a fresh start.
But from the Maple Leafs’ perspective, jettisoning Jarnkrok and bringing Mangiapane might be the best move in the long run.
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