Hours after talking to the media on Thursday, Capitals president and general Manager Brian MacLellan swung his second deal in less than 10 days, sending a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft – originally belonging to Colorado – to Calgary in exchange for 28-year-old winger and Toronto native Andre Mangiapane.
“I still think we are looking to do more, both in the free agency and the trade market,” MacLellan said in a conference call with media early Thursday afternoon. “[We’re] looking into a couple of areas, and hopefully we’re going to be aggressive here, and try and improve our roster.”
Less than six hours later, the Caps’ aggressiveness brings Mangiapane to the District.
A left-hand shot who is capable of playing either side, Mangiapane has one season remaining on a three-year contract signed in the summer of 2022 as a restricted free agent, a deal that carries a $5.8 million salary cap hit for 2024-25. He had a breakout season of 35 goals and 55 points in 2021-22, but he is more typically found in the 15-20 range with lamplighters and the 40-45 range in points.
With the Flames last season, the 5-foot-10, 184-pound Mangiapane saw top six deployment at even strength, he worked on the second power play unit, and he was also part of Calgary’s penalty killing outfit, averaging 43 seconds per game in that situation. He totaled 14 goals and 40 points in 75 games with Calgary last season. Mangiapane seems likely to see middle six duty in Washington.
Originally a sixth-round pick (166th overall) of the Flames in the 2015 NHL Draft, Mangiapane’s total of 417 career NHL games played is the highest for any player taken in the final four rounds of that draft. His total of 109 career goals ranks 18th among the ’15 Draft class, his 106 assists rank 28th, and his 215 points rank 27th.
Mangiapane is the second forward MacLellan has added to Washington’s mix in the last 10 days. On June 19, he sent goaltender Darcy Kuemper to Los Angeles in exchange for 26-year-old center Pierre-Luc Dubois.
Like Dubois, Mangiapane has been a driver of play and possession for most of his seven seasons in the League, and the Caps could certainly stand to do a bit more ice tilting this season. In the 2023-24 season, the Capitals controlled only 46.66 percent of all shot attempts at 5-on-5, ranking 26th in the League in that regard, and finishing last in that category among the NHL’s 16 playoff teams.
Over the course of his seven seasons in the NHL, the Flames have controlled 56.1 percent of all shot attempts – in all situations – while Mangiapane has been on the ice, and 55.3 percent at 5-on-5. Over that same seven-season span with Columbus, Winnipeg and Los Angeles, those teams have controlled 57.6 percent of shot attempts with Dubois on the ice in all situations and 52.4 percent at 5-on-5.
