The Edmonton Oilers traded forward Andrew Mangiapane and a 2027 first-round pick to the Chicago Blackhawks for Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach. This move, part of efforts to adjust the roster before the playoffs, has drawn criticism for including a high draft pick to offload Mangiapane's contract. The 29-year-old signed a two-year, $7.2 million deal with Edmonton in the offseason but recorded only seven goals and 14 points in 52 games.
The Edmonton Oilers made two trades with the Chicago Blackhawks ahead of the NHL trade deadline to bolster their roster for a potential playoff run. In one deal, they acquired defenseman Connor Murphy to strengthen their back end. The second transaction saw the Oilers send forward Andrew Mangiapane and a 2027 first-round draft pick to the Blackhawks in exchange for forwards Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach.
Mangiapane, aged 29, joined the Oilers on a two-year contract worth $7.2 million during the previous offseason. Expectations were for him to contribute secondary scoring, but he ended up in a bottom-six role. Over 52 games, he tallied seven goals and 14 points, leading to the quick decision to move him. The inclusion of the first-round pick in the trade was largely to facilitate offloading his contract, a move that has reflected poorly on general manager Stan Bowman.
This is not the first such issue for Oilers management. In the 2024-25 season, signings of Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson also underperformed, though those contracts were easier to exit without significant draft capital. Skinner was a one-year deal, while Arvidsson was traded to the Boston Bruins for a fifth-round pick.
The trades come amid broader challenges for the Oilers, including goaltending inconsistencies. On March 6, they lost 6-3 to the Carolina Hurricanes at Rogers Place, where goaltender Tristan Jarry struggled to make key saves. Earlier, on December 12, the Oilers traded Stuart Skinner, Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second-round pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Jarry and Sam Poulin. Skinner has since outperformed Jarry.
With Connor McDavid's two-year contract extension starting this 2025-26 season, pressure mounts on management to address key positions like goaltending, which has been a persistent issue since McDavid's 2015 arrival. The team now shares a goaltending tandem of Jarry and Connor Ingram, amid concerns over playoff positioning in the Pacific Division.