Oilers’ latest signature Andrew Mangiapane is the right choice for Brock Boeser – Hockey Writer – Edmonton Oilers

Free agents are going well, and while some teams have been focusing on hunting this summer, the Edmonton Oilers have taken a more patient approach to improving their teams entering the 2025-26 season. They never had a chance to sign Mitchell Marner or Nikolaj Ehlers with the Golden Knights of Las Vegas and the Carolina Hurricanes respectively, but they did have the chance to bring in Brock Boeser, who was a little available before choosing to return to the city of Vancouver.

Related: Oilers News and Rumors: Mangiapane, Howard, Lazar, McDavid

The Oilers are linked to Boeser, but eventually, he wants to return to Canucks and sign a seven-year extension for $7.5 million a year. The Oilers have to pivot, and they do a great job because they are able to attract Andrew Mangiahpan with a two-year contract of $3.6 million a year. Now, some fans are opposed to him being a good pickup because his offensive work doesn’t stand out, and his role in the Washington Capitals last season was much lower than what he expected from the Oilers next season, but his analysis proves he is a valuable asset.

Andrew Mangiapane, who signed 2x $3.6 million by EDM, is a mid-6 energy winger who unfortunately hasn’t had prolific shot creation and completion in the early 2020s since 2023, making him one of the most effective two-way wingers in hockey in the early 2020s. Reclamation project. pic.twitter.com/6ujnhy1rvw

– jfresh(@jfreshhockey) July 2, 2025

Now, when you look at his analysis, there are a lot of reds, but let’s think about something.

Comparing him with Boeser, Mangiapane is stronger on defense and trusts more on defense. Offensively, they’re about pushing the game, but Booth seems to rely on his teammates instead of creating offensiveness for himself and his players. Mangiapane should be one of the few players in the league who can promote Leon Draisaitl.

His completion rate isn’t great, but gaining some confidence in the larger role of the Oilers should help him discover natural offensive touchpoints as he hopes to be a key part of their success as they try to return to the Stanley Cup final and win their first Stanley Cup final since 1990.

Let’s look at another model:

It’s a totally fair deal for Andrew Mangiapane, but there might be some benefits here if the Oiler uses him in the top six. pic.twitter.com/9MPW9W6GKY

– dom📈 (@domuszczyszyn) July 2, 2025

Again, an offensive year would have a negative impact on his numbers for him, but it would be worth it for the Oilers if he rebounded and maintained a strong defensive game. The risk of Boeser not being suitable for the oil man is too high to seize the opportunity, so they avoid bringing him in due to the potential risks of the long-term deal he wants, which is a disguised blessing.

Now, that’s not to say that Boeser is a bad hockey player because he’s a natural goal scorer and he’s more capable. But I would rather have Mangiapane’s $3.6 million than Boeser’s $7 million. There isn’t much gap between them, and the Oilers have had some salary cap issues during the 2025-26 campaign, which is much better than paying for Boeser.

The Oilers lost five key players, can Mango replace them?

The biggest concern is what the oilers do to replace the players they lost. Corey Perry signed with the Los Angeles Kings, Connor Brown signed with the New Jersey Devils, John Klingberg signed with the San Jose Sharks, Viktor Arvidsson was traded to the Boston Bruins, Jeff Skinner was allowed to walk to the free agency and not return to the Oilers. All five of them have brought something important to the oilers this season, so what happens now?

Mangiapane can’t replace them alone, but some internal works can pay off a lot. Matthew Savoie is expected to take a big step and should be a key piece in the Oilers roster next season, while David Tomasek should offer some in-depth production from Europe on a one-year contract.

This may also mean that the Oilers are not finished in the offseason. They have enough time to make more moves and continue to fill the lineup, but for now, adding Mangiapane instead of Boeser is the right move. Now, fans will continue to be patient as they continue their journey to become champion contenders.

As the 2025-26 season approaches, please keep paying attention Hockey writer As your source of news from around the NHL and the hockey world.