In a fast-moving Oilers trade story, sources inside the club say the immediate priority is clearing Andrew Mangiapane’s cap hit to create room for a playoff-style third-line forward or centre; that push is central to Edmonton’s approach with the March 6, 3 p. m. ET deadline looming and will shape any final moves. The Oilers trade focus right now is first to move Mangiapane before targeting a rugged, physical addition for the bottom six. The club has already added a right-handed defenceman and is weighing further roster tweaks over the next 72 hours.
Details and stakes
Pierre LeBrun, hockey insider, laid out the sequence the team is following: the No. 1 priority is finding a new home for Andrew Mangiapane, who cleared waivers, and moving his $3. 6 million contract is key before Edmonton can pursue a top-nine forward. LeBrun said the Oilers want someone who can play a playoff role — physical, rugged, likely a third-line centre in an ideal scenario — but noted a winger could also fit the bill. That blueprint drives why an oilers trade involving Mangiapane is the hinge for any incoming forward.
The club recently acquired a right-handed blueliner to bolster depth on defence, and management is balancing moving a veteran forward and adding a hard-nosed option for the postseason push. One name that has surfaced as a fit for Edmonton’s needs is Nick Roy; Jim Matheson weighed in that Roy would match the profile the club is targeting. Bob Stauffer, who works for the Oilers, flagged that he does not believe the team is finished and suggested Edmonton could make as many as two more moves before the deadline. That view keeps the oilers trade picture open-headed as the clock winds down to 3 p. m. ET on March 6.
Immediate reactions
“They’ve got another year on his deal at $3. 6 million, but they have to move that contract before they can get to, really what’s next, ” Pierre LeBrun, hockey insider, said about the roster sequence and the practical barrier Mangiapane’s contract creates. He emphasized the club’s search for a rugged playoff-type forward to slot in the middle-six.
“I do not believe the Oilers are done. The NHL trade deadline is Friday. I could possibly see as many as two more trades, ” Bob Stauffer, Oilers Now host, said when discussing the club’s potential activity. Stauffer added that moving a player could create the flexibility to add another piece, keeping the oilers trade scenario fluid through deadline day.
Quick context
Teams continue to check on other high-profile names as the market tightens; Vancouver is exploring options around veteran pieces and other clubs are lining up potential moves. The deadline is March 6 and the formal cutoff is 3 p. m. ET.
What’s next
Expect decisions to fall in the next 48–72 hours as patient players and their agents work the market and clubs chase depth before the 3 p. m. ET deadline. If Edmonton clears Mangiapane’s contract, the pathway opens for at least one oilers trade to bring in that rugged, playoff-ready forward the club has prioritized; if they do move a player out, a follow-up addition remains likely as the team finalizes its postseason roster.
