Oilers Reportedly Looking To Trade Andrew Mangiapane
Last week, we covered reports coming out of Edmonton that the Oilers were looking to move out a few forwards, with Andrew Mangiapane and Noah Philp specifically named as two likely candidates. Philp was claimed off of waivers by the Carolina Hurricanes later that day, while Mangiapane remains on the Oilers’ roster, though he has been a healthy scratch for two of the last three games. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman addressed Mangiapane’s situation last night, saying that the Oilers are “definitely looking” to see if there’s a fit in terms of trading away Mangiapane.
Mangiapane, 29, has five goals and 11 points through 40 games this season. Complicating his odds of being traded is his contract, which carries a $3.6MM cap hit and a term that extends through next season. During his days with the Calgary Flames, Mangiapane was, without question, worth that kind of cap hit. He hit the 40-point mark three times as a Flame, and even managed 35 goals and 55 points in 2021-22. While Friedman did note that some teams view Mangiapane’s contract as a factor that could limit his chances of being traded, he also said that there are others who don’t see that as “a big deal.” It should also be noted that Mangiapane’s contract carries a full no-trade clause until June 15, meaning Mangiapane will need to sign off on any trade before the Oilers can deal him.
Jarry Out Two More Weeks, Hyman On Canada's Olympic Standby List
It appears the Oilers won’t have to wait too much longer to get their new starting goalie back. Head coach Kris Knoblauch told reporters following last night’s game (video link) that they’re hoping to have Tristan Jarry back around mid-January. That would mean he’ll miss another couple of weeks but ideally not much more than that. Diagnosed as out week-to-week just before the holiday break due to a lower-body injury, Jarry was injured in just his third game following last month’s swap. Connor Ingram has played well in three of his four games in Jarry’s absence and will now have a couple more weeks to make the case that he should take over as Edmonton’s backup moving forward over Calvin Pickard.
- While Hockey Canada didn’t reveal any of its players on their standby list for next month’s Olympics when they announced their roster yesterday, Oilers winger Zach Hyman is on that list, according to Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal. Hyman missed the start of the season while recovering from wrist surgery but has been productive in his limited action, collecting 12 goals and 10 assists in 22 games, 16 of which have come in his last 11 outings. That made him a candidate for the team given his chemistry with linemate Connor McDavid but he’ll now need someone to miss due to injury to have a chance to make it.
Oilers Reassign Max Jones
The Oilers announced Thursday they’ve loaned winger Max Jones to AHL Bakersfield. By opening a second roster spot, they’ve given themselves the ability to activate both winger Kasperi Kapanen and defenseman Jake Walman from long-term injured reserve before Saturday’s game against the Flyers if they’re cleared to play.
Jones, 27, spent most of December with the Oilers after clearing waivers and heading to Bakersfield to begin the season. He was recalled in response to injuries to Connor Clattenburg and Jack Roslovic, both of whom have since returned and, in Clattenburg’s case, sent back to Bakersfield.
A first-round pick by the Ducks in 2016, Jones was non-tendered in 2024 and signed a two-year, $2MM contract with the Bruins. Edmonton acquired him from Boston as part of last season’s Trent Frederic trade.
Jones had already lost his grip on a roster spot before the deal, only playing seven games with the B’s after signing the multi-million dollar agreement. He finished out last year on the Oilers’ NHL roster as they dealt with injuries, but only averaged 9:09 of ice time per game in 19 appearances, limited to a goal and an assist each.
The Michigan native’s fortunes haven’t changed this season, again notching two points on an eight-game recall while seeing his deployment come under 10 minutes per night. In Bakersfield, the 6’3″ checker has a 5-2–7 scoring line in 17 games.
At a $1MM cap hit, Jones is a pricey call-up option. With the cap-strapped Oilers nearing full health and no longer being able to use LTIR as a crutch, his opportunities for call-ups will be limited compared to those with six-figure salaries.
Oilers Activate, Assign Connor Clattenburg
The Edmonton Oilers have activated defenseman Connor Clattenburg off of long-term injured reserve. He has missed the last 11 games after sustaining an eye injury in Edmonton’s December 4th win over the Seattle Kraken. Now, he’ll return to action in the minor-leagues where he has spent the bulk of the season.
Clattenburg is in his first pro season after making his AHL debut at the end of last season. He recorded two points and 59 penalty minutes in 15 games with the Bakersfield Condors to start the season. 41 of those penalty minutes came in just two games in which Clattenburg had three fights. That start tot he year was enough to earn Clattenburg the first NHL call-up of his career in late November.
The 6-foot-2, 205-pound bruiser made a quick impact at the bottom of Edmonton’s lineup. He scored his first NHL goal in his second game and has racked up 13 penalty minutes in his first five games. His first NHL fight game in his third game against Seattle forward Frederick Gaudreau and only lasted a few punches.
Clattenburg took on his enforcer style over three years in the OHL. He racked up 115 penalty minutes in 56 games as an OHL rookie in 2022-23. That was, at the time, the most of any OHL rookie since Ty Bilcke recorded 221 PIMs in the 2011-12 season. Clattenburg finished his junior career with 74 points and 302 penalty minutes in 162 games. He will bring that grit back to Bakersfield lineup and could earn a return to the NHL with continued physical play.
Oilers, David Tomasek Terminate Contract
Dec. 29th: Insider Frank Seravalli confirmed that Tomasek has cleared waivers after being designated yesterday. Both sides are now free to officially terminate his contract.
Dec. 26th: Oilers forward David Tomasek is expected to sign with the Swedish Hockey League’s Färjestad BK after the holiday roster freeze lifts on Sunday, Jonas Griberg and Johan Ekberg of Värmlands Folkblad report.
Tomasek has already left Edmonton and returned to Sweden, according to the report. The Oilers can place Tomasek on unconditional waivers on Sunday, allowing him to formalize the termination and register a new contract with Färjestad on Monday.
The 29-year-old right winger is ticketed to return to the squad where he had immense success over the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons before attempting to kickstart an NHL career by signing a one-year, $1.2MM deal with Edmonton in April. He led the league in at least one major statistical category on both occasions and was named the SHL’s Most Valuable Player last season with a 24-33–57 scoring line and +5 rating in 47 games.
Tomasek was technically left off the Oilers’ opening-night roster due to salary cap constraints, taking advantage of his waiver-exempt status to send him to AHL Bakersfield. However, he was recalled the next day and made his NHL debut on the fourth line with Adam Henrique and Isaac Howard. He recorded an assist, but the lack of ice time wasn’t conducive to his ability to make an impact on the scoresheet.
The one-time World Championship gold medalist has good size at 6’2″ and 210 lbs, but doesn’t play a particularly physical game, profiling more as a one-way offensive threat and power play specialist. That made him an unnatural fit in a bottom-six checking role, serving the dual purpose of not allowing him to demonstrate enough skill to push his way into a top-nine job and see meaningful even-strength time with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
Tomasek will end his stint in Edmonton with three goals, two assists, and a -6 rating in 22 appearances, averaging 10:46 of ice time per game. He had been a healthy scratch in six straight contests, last appearing against the Maple Leafs on Dec. 13.
The cap impacts are significant for the Oilers, who will be immediately relieved of his $1.2MM cap hit upon termination. Since they’re dipping into their LTIR pool to stay cap-compliant, they’re not accruing cap space. Removing Tomasek won’t change that, but it will increase their current cap space from $612.5K to $1.81MM, giving them more flexibility to reinstate one of their four LTIR-bound players in Connor Clattenburg, Kasperi Kapanen, Noah Philp, and Jake Walman.
Image courtesy of Walter Tychnowicz-Imagn Images.
Hurricanes Claim Noah Philp Off Waivers, Reassign Bradly Nadeau
According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the Carolina Hurricanes claimed center Noah Philp off waivers from the Edmonton Oilers. The Hurricanes shared that they’ve reassigned forward Bradly Nadeau in a corresponding roster move.
Interestingly enough, Friedman reported this morning on 32 Thoughts that this could be coming down the pipeline for Philp. Friedman suggested that multiple teams had contacted the Oilers regarding Philp. It stands to reason that the Hurricanes were one of those teams.
It would have been much easier for Edmonton to trade Philp after he had cleared waivers, given that he wouldn’t have to be waived again for some time if a team was wishing to stash him in the AHL. Given that the Hurricanes claimed him today, they’ll need to attempt to pass Philp through waivers again should they try to reassign him to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves.
Regardless, Philp will have a new opportunity in Carolina for the time being, though it’s not clear where exactly he fits into the lineup. Seth Jarvis is currently the only injured forward on the team, and there’s little chance of Philp taking a hold of a first-line role.
Realistically, if the Hurricanes want him in a consistent role, Philp will take over for Jesperi Kotkaniemi or Mark Jankowski, each of whom has disappointed throughout the season. Philp doesn’t have much experience to fall back on, though, scoring two goals and five points across 30 games in Edmonton.
Still, his relatively large frame and respectable output in the AHL likely inspired Carolina to take a flyer on him. Despite briefly retiring for the 2023-24 season, Philp owns a 38-34-72 scoring line in 130 AHL contests.
Meanwhile, Nadeau returns to AHL Chicago after being recalled to replace Jarvis on the active roster. The 20-year-old winger played in two games for the Hurricanes throughout the recall, scoring one goal while averaging 13:54 of ice time per game.
Oilers Looking To Move Out A Forward
As the Edmonton Oilers return to a relatively healthy active roster, the team has begun looking to thin out a fairly saturated forward core. On today’s rendition of 32 Thoughts with Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, the insider shared that the Oilers are looking to move out a forward on the trade market.
Specifically, Friedman listed Andrew Mangiapane and Noah Philp as potential trade candidates. The latter is currently on waivers, and Friedman noted that there is some interest in Philp, but only if he clears waivers by this afternoon. If an interested team claims him, they’ll need to send him through waivers again if they wish to reassign him to the AHL. If they acquire him via trade after he clears, he’ll be ineligible for waivers for some time.
Edmonton’s thought process is fairly straightforward. The team has Zach Hyman back on the roster after a lengthy absence to begin the year, and recently activated Jack Roslovic from the injured reserve. Additionally, Friedman reported that Kasperi Kapanen, who’s currently on the team’s long-term injured reserve, is expected back soon.
Having so many players on the LTIR has limited the Oilers’ ability to accrue additional cap space for the trade deadline, so moving out a forward or two via the trade market will allow them to make bigger additions down the line if they choose to do so. Mangiapane, in particular, is making $3.6MM this season and next, making him the sixth-highest paid forward on the team.
It’s not a relationship that has gone particularly well, either. Edmonton brought Mangiapane back to Alberta last summer after a one-year stint with the Washington Capitals, though he hasn’t provided the middle-six firepower the Oilers were hoping for. He’s scored five goals and 11 points in 39 games this season, averaging 13:31 of ice time per game with a -16 rating.
Much like the Los Angeles Kings did with center Phillip Danault, Friedman suggested that the Oilers and Mangiapane could be heading for a mutual split. Mangiapane has a full no-trade clause this season, though he would likely waive that protection if he felt he could be moved to a better situation.
Meanwhile, the external interest in Philp is largely based on his role as a right-handed center, which is always in high demand around the league. His output has been fairly tepid with the Oilers, scoring two goals and five points in 30 games since the 2024-25 campaign. However, he did record 19 goals and 35 points in 55 games for the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors last season.
Aside from returning to a healthy lineup, the Oilers are facing more pressure to recall Isaac Howard back to the NHL. He’s certainly doing his best to force their hand, scoring nine goals and 20 points in 15 games for AHL Bakersfield with a +10 rating.
Regardless, if the Oilers feel satisfied with their roster leading up to the trade deadline, especially after acquiring Tristan Jarry and Spencer Stastney a few weeks ago, there are other options available to them. Aside from sending Philp through waivers, they could reassign depth forward Max Jones, which would give them another open spot.
Photo courtesy of Perry Nelson-Imagn Images.
Oilers Place Noah Philp On Waivers
The Oilers announced Sunday they’ve placed center Noah Philp on waivers for the purpose of assignment to AHL Bakersfield. Now that the holiday roster freeze has lifted, Edmonton has also made official the unconditional waiver placement for David Tomasek that was reported on Friday, meaning he’ll have his contract terminated tomorrow.
Philp had been out since Nov. 17 with an upper-body injury and was on long-term injured reserve. Technically, he needs to be activated from LTIR before being placed on waivers. The Oilers created a roster spot and cap space by suspending Tomasek without pay, something they were eligible to do because he’d already left the club to return to Sweden, where he’ll be signing with the SHL’s Färjestad BK.
Before his injury, the 27-year-old Philp had rotated in and out of the lineup as the Oilers’ fourth-line center. Entering the year with only 15 games of NHL experience, all coming with Edmonton last season, he was given extremely difficult 5-on-5 deployment and started just 27.8% of his shifts in the offensive zone.
As a result, Philp’s numbers at face value were underwhelming. He had a 2-1–3 scoring line in 15 games with a -7 rating, ranking last among Oilers forwards in Corsi for percentage (41.9), shots for percentage (42.9), and expected goals for percentage (36.4) at 5-on-5.
Those are excusable figures given his deployment, though, and he has been one of Edmonton’s best faceoff men this year at 56.9%. There’s a definite risk of losing Philp on the wire as a result if a team is looking for affordable fourth-line help, particularly thanks to his league minimum salary, two-way contract structure, and expiring deal.
Oilers’ Tristan Jarry Out Week-To-Week, Frederic Scratched
Ahead of tonight’s game, multiple key updates came on the Oilers; new goaltender Tristan Jarry will be out a “few weeks”, as shared by Ryan Rishaug of TSN. Additionally, forward Trent Frederic will be a healthy scratch, per Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal, with Connor Ingram taking the net in his Oilers debut.
Just in his third game with the Oilers, Jarry left mid-contest against Boston on Thursday with an apparent lower-body injury. One day later, the team promptly placed Jarry on IR and recalled Ingram, so today’s news is not a total shock, however, the timeline is a tough blow as the team tries to climb up the standings and assert themselves into the playoff mix for good.
Jarry is off to a nice start with Edmonton, winning all three games (as he earned credit for the win in the Boston contest). Such wins have not necessarily come on the back of the new Oiler, as he has a .887 save percentage, however, the accomplished netminder just needs to be steady behind the high-octane team. Edmonton’s long awaited search for such stability between the net must go on for now, but once healthy, Jarry will help push the Oilers for another run and look to prove them right for bringing him aboard.
In the meantime, Ingram, set to start tonight, was an intriguing pickup by Edmonton from Utah in October, merely for future considerations. The 28-year-old has not met expectations so far in the AHL, with a 4.04 goals against average, and a losing record, but the Saskatoon native flashed legitimate potential during the Coyotes’ final season, appearing in 50 games in 2023-24.
Ingram, once a key prospect for the Lighting and Predators, has battled adversity throughout his career, entering the NHLPA Player Assistance Program at times. Although his AHL play has not inspired as much confidence, hopefully Ingram is reinvigorated by his new opportunity and can hold things down for the time being. Edmonton had been linked to Alex Lyon of late, but if Ingram can play up to his potential, it will prove to be a savvy move to acquire the insurance policy for no real assets.
On the other hand, Frederic’s healthy scratching is also a major event for the team. Despite Edmonton starting to string wins together and finding their groove, Head Coach Kris Kloblach has seen enough of Frederic for now. The 27-year-old has just three points in 36 games on the season, and is a -9. Signed to an eight year deal last summer worth $3.85MM per season, things could not be off to much worse of a start for the forward.
Although so many contracts are criticized with the benefit of hindsight, Frederic’s was always a bit of a head scratcher. A former first rounder who showed scoring touch as a high energy forward with Boston, eight years still felt like a big gamble for a player who had not yet shown much with the Oil. Any long term commitment to a trade deadline pickup is risky, with long term fit in mind, but especially so for a role player.
Frederic had just four points in 22 playoff games, which apparently was enough for GM Stan Bowman to count on him to be a vital piece for long term. Now, he has not brought much of anything offensively, and often plays fourth line minutes, just unable to find his fit with Knoblach’s system yet. Facing increased pressure and scrutiny, tonight’s scratch puts him into the spotlight even more. However, as he is set in Edmonton for better or worse, it may serve as a reset. Thankfully, Jack Roslovic is back tonight, after missing a month.
Whatever comes next, any player signed for eight years being healthy scratched for one such as Curtis Lazar, a journeyman fourth liner, is a one-of-a-kind scenario. The Oilers have had a turbulent season thus far from their goaltending and depth pieces, but few teams have the ability to simply outscore such problems and push on. Tonight’s game will be telling, to see how they respond to the latest developments.
Oilers Activate Jack Roslovic, Reassign Quinn Hutson
The Edmonton Oilers will have a bit more oomph in the lineup in Sunday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights. Edmonton has activated winger Jack Roslovic off of long-term injured reserve after he missed just under a month of action due to an undisclosed injury. In corresponding moves, the Oilers have also moved Connor Clattenburg from injured reserve to LTIR, and reassigned rookie winger Quinn Hutson to the AHL.
Roslovic was a big piece of the Oilers’ lineup before going down with injury. He was filling a goal-scorer’s role next to Leon Draisaitl on Edmonton’s best line by goal-differential. Roslovic has three goals in his last five games and 10 goals and 18 points in 23 games on the full season. He has also recorded an 18.9 shooting percentage, far above his career average of 12.8. That likely spells some scoring struggles as he returns from injury – but the well-rounded Roslovic should still be able to provide a strong utility-knife role.
His return will bump the rookie Hutson out of the NHL for the time being. Hutson scored his first NHL goal in Friday’s win over the Boston Bruins. It is the only point he has managed in five career NHL games – but he’s proven to be a reliable source of offense in the minors. The first-year pro leads the Bakersfield Condors with 16 goals and 28 points in 24 games this season. He also has a plus-four, third-highest on the team behind Isaac Howard and James Hamblin. Hutson’s hot scoring and continued adjustments to pro hockey should make him a top call-up option for Edmonton through the rest of the season.
Roslovic’s addition to the lineup comes at a great time for the Oilers. They have posted a 4-1 record in their last five games and a 6-2-1 record through nine games in December. They’ve managede a 38-to-24 goal differential in that span, largely on the back of surging play from superstars Draisaitl and Connor McDavid. Roslovic will help Edmonton elevate those stars even further as they head into important games against Western Conference opponents. Edmonton has six games remaining in December.