The Maple Leafs have another opportuntiy to bring a Toronto-born player home to wear the Blue and White and potentially contribute to this team in a positive way on the ice, too.
Edmonton Oilers forward Andrew Mangiapane has not been living up to the expectation the team and fans had when the 29-year-old winger was brought in this past offseason. Once a waterbug of a forward that move around the ice as freely as anyone while scoring boatloads of points for the Calgary Flames, he has now turned into a shell of his former self.
Mangiapane has scored just five goals and 11 points in 39 games this season and that has most logically resulted in him being a healthy scratch Monday night. And now, there are reports that Mangiapane's agent has been given the green light to look for somewhere else that the winger apply his talents outside of Alberta.
Per Tom Gazzola, Andrew Mangiapane’s agent has been given permission by the team to seek a trade.
— Oilers Daily (@oilersdaily) December 30, 2025
Leafs adding Andrew Mangiapane could work, or be a disaster
Important context is that Mangiapane is signed to a contract through next season that carries a $3.6-million AAV. It is not the worst contract in the NHL but it certainly isn't great when the player signed to that barely has double-digit points as turn the calendar into the next year.
But, there is a possible path to this working out for the Leafs. One player that just so happens to be signed for two more seasons after this one at a very similar $3.75-million AAV, is not having the best performances for the Leafs. Basically, what if the Leafs trade Max Domi for Mangiapane in a one-for-one deal?
Domi could continue to not care about defense whatsoever in Edmonton, but possibly play up to Connor McDavid's speed and they can talk about all the memories they have of Max's dad playing for their childhood team. While Mangiapane could provide more actual defensive responsibility and possibly a player with more vision than Domi in the Leafs' top six forward group.
It would be a massive shake-up to this roster and not really affect the financial situation at all, but instead would be a change of direction and possibly getting out from that one additional year on Domi's contract.
It's not the worst idea in the world, if we do say so ourselves.