The Washington Capitals continued to address their offense on Thursday, trading for winger Andrew Mangiapane from the Calgary Flames in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft (that the Capitals had originally acquired from the Colorado Avalanche). This is a very smart move by general manager Brian MacLellan and his staff, as Mangiapane has one year left on his contract. If both sides find a fit together, he can sign a long-term deal. If not, Washington can always move him for another asset at the trade deadline. Some Capitals fans may not know a lot about Mangiapane. He has spent his entire NHL tenure in the Western Conference, so there has been a limited number of times he has played against Washington. He is a player worth being excited about.
Prior to the NHL
Mangiapane grew his game in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Barrie Colts. He was there for three seasons and posted the following stats while donning their jersey:
- 2013-14: 24 goals and 27 assists for 51 points in 68 games
- 2014-15: 43 goals and 61 assists for 104 points in 68 games
- 2015-16: 51 goals and 55 assists for 106 points in 59 games
He was drafted by the Flames in the sixth round (166th overall) in the 2015 NHL Draft. Following his time in Barrie, he played the entire 2016-17 campaign in the American Hockey League (AHL) with Calgary’s affiliate, the Stockton Heat. In 66 games, Mangiapane tallied 41 points (20 goals and 21 assists). He showed that he could transition his game well from the OHL to the AHL, but the next step would be carrying his play over to the brightest lights of NHL action.
Career in Calgary
The 2017-18 NHL season is when Mangiapane made his NHL debut. He played in 10 games for the Flames and went pointless in that span. As much as he only got a handful of games in the league that season, he got a taste of what NHL competition looks like and that can go a long way in knowing how to develop a player’s game. Most of 2017-18 was in Stockton, but he continued to be a significant point scorer for them. In 39 games, he notched 21 goals and 25 assists for 46 points.
Mangiapane officially became a full-time Flame for the 2019-20 NHL campaign. He joined a team with a solid amount of skill around him. Some of his teammates during that 2019-20 season included Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett, and Elias Lindholm among others. He finished his first full season in Calgary with 32 points in 68 games (17 goals and 15 assists). Only Tkachuk (61 points), Gaudreau (58), Lindholm (54), Monahan (48), and Mikael Backlund (45), had more than him. It helped being surrounded by the offensive group Calgary had, but Mangiapane was also a talented player in his own right, and he continued to prove that throughout his time in Calgary. He posted the following regular-season numbers while with the Flames:
- 2017-18: zero points in 10 games
- 2018-19: eight goals and five assists for 13 points in 44 games
- 2019-20: 17 goals and 15 assists for 32 points in 68 games
- 2020-21: 18 goals and 14 assists for 32 points in 56 games
- 2021-22: 35 goals and 20 assists for 55 points in 82 games
- 2022-23: 17 goals and 26 assists for 43 points in 82 games
- 2023-24: 14 goals and 26 assists for 40 points in 75 games
At this point in time, Mangiapane’s best statistical season came in 2021-22. He had a significant increase in goals with 35, a number he never reached again in Calgary. His 55 points that season ranked him fourth on the Flames in point production. The three teammates ahead of him were Gaudreau (115 points), Tkachuk (104), and Lindholm (82).
Looking at Mangiapane’s experience in NHL postseason action, he so far has been a part of three playoff runs. His first playoff experience was in 2019. He suited up for five games and produced a goal in that time. His second postseason run had him play in 10 games and contributing two goals and three assists for five points. The last time he was on a playoff team was 2021-22, when he tallied six points in 12 games (three goals and three assists). Looking at how stacked those Flames teams were in hindsight, it is confusing how they did not have more success at the time. However, this forward core in Calgary would eventually part ways. Gaudreau, Tkachuk, and Lindholm all left. Mangiapane stayed a little bit longer, but the time eventually came for him to leave as well.
Joining the Capitals
MacLellan and his team wanted to address the forward position this offseason and they have been aggressive in doing so. The Capitals first traded goalie Darcy Kuemper to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for Pierre-Luc Dubois. That move has received its share of criticism, but if Washington can get solid production out of Dubois, they very well may win this trade. Mangiapane is the next move they made at forward. Adding both into a mix that also consists of Alex Ovechkin, Dylan Strome, John Carlson, Rasmus Sandin, and Tom Wilson among others could be a recipe for success. Washington was able to make the 2024 Playoffs, but they did not get enough production to even win a single game against the New York Rangers in that first round series. Mangiapane can potentially help with that problem and that goes for Dubois too.
Related: Flames’ Mangiapane Traded to Capitals for 2nd-Round Pick in 2025
Taking Mangiapane’s 40 points from 2023-24 with Calgary and putting those stats ranked with the Capitals from this season, he would have finished fourth. Only Strome (67 points), Ovechkin (65), and Carlson (52) would have had more. I think getting Mangiapane is a low-risk, high-reward move. The Capitals had three second-round picks in the 2025 Draft, so they could afford to part with one. They still hold their own 2025 second-rounder as well as Boston’s. It will be interesting to see where head coach Spencer Carbery puts Mangiapane and what linemates he will have once the 2024-25 NHL season starts. Regardless of that, Capitals fans should be excited about getting an offensive boost from Mangiapane. He should provide some nice assistance in the production department.
