The Edmonton Oilers might be planning to let go of Mattias Janmark and Andrew Mangiapane from their NHL team soon after the Olympic break, according to one source.
Right now, the Oilers are very close to the salary cap, which has led them to send rookie player Matt Savoie to the AHL even though he has been doing well this season. They probably don’t want to keep him there for long, so they need to find ways to free up some money in other areas.
Edmonton Oilers should let go of two experienced forwards right after the Olympic break finishes. Insider Jim Matheson mentions that with Adam Henrique coming back from long-term injury reserve and a $3 million cap charge, the Oilers will need to make more financial adjustments. This means they should consider cutting Andrew Mangiapane and Mattias Janmark to open up cap space.
Oilers have $2.8m in cap space and when Henrique and his $3m comes off LTIR Feb 22 they will need some fiscal maneuvering. They should be recalling Samanski off his Oly showing. They can waive Mangiapane. And Janmark. Love his defensive work and coach values him but no offence
— Jim Matheson (@jimmathesonnhl) February 17, 2026
Moreover, Matheson thinks player Samanski might get a chance to return to the Oilers this year.
For the moment, the Oilers have sent Matthew Savoie down to create enough cap space to bring back Henrique, but this can’t be their plan for the future. Savoie has played more games and performed better than both Janmark and Mangiapane.
Mattias Janmark, who is 33 years old, has a cap charge of $1.45 million this season and has only scored one goal.
The coach really likes him, but he just doesn’t contribute enough to deserve a spot on the roster at that cost. Plus, he isn’t a key player for killing penalties anymore. Janmark has some limited trade protection, so they should be able to trade him.
It’s easy to see why Andrew Mangiapane might be let go since he has often been a healthy scratch since the start of the new year.
Getting rid of Mangiapane’s $3.6 million cap charge to bring back Savoie and to get other players before the trade deadline is essential for the Oilers right now.
Moving either of these two experienced players is a better choice for the team than sending capable rookies down. Hopefully, the Oilers can make these changes soon and bring back both Savoie and Samanski.
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