Things are not going well for the Edmonton Oilers right now. The Oilers have been struggling in a big way as of late, as they have lost five out of their last six games. This included them losing to the San Jose Sharks by a 5-4 final score in their most recent contest on Feb. 28.
With the Oilers going through a rough patch and having the goal of winning the Stanley Cup, there is an expectation that they will be big buyers at the 2026 NHL trade deadline. The Oilers have a number of trade needs they should be looking to address. A few specific player-types they pursue include a top-nine center and a top-four defenseman.
However, the Oilers also have limited cap space, so they will need to get creative to make some moves ahead of the deadline. Now, the Oilers have made some roster moves to help things on that front, as they have placed two of their players on waivers.
Oilers Place Andrew Mangiapane & Alec Regula on Waivers
On Sunday afternoon, the Oilers announced that they have placed forward Andrew Mangiapane and defenseman Alec Regula on waivers.
Out of this pair, Mangiapane is undoubtedly the bigger name to be placed on waivers by the Oilers. The Oilers signed the 29-year-old winger to a two-year, $7.2 million contract during the offseason with the expectation that he would be an important part of their top nine. However, the fit was just not there from the start, and he is having a very disappointing season. In 52 games, the veteran winger has recorded seven goals, seven assists, 14 points, and a minus-19 rating.
The Oilers have been working to trade Mangiapane for a decent chunk of the season, but a deal has yet to come to fruition.
As for Regula, the 6-foot-4 defenseman has been a depth blueliner for the Oilers this season. In 29 games this campaign with the Pacific Division club, he has recorded zero goals, three assists, 44 blocks, and a minus-16 rating. This is the first time that he has played at the NHL level since the 2022-23 season with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Regula has also played in three games this season with the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL, where he has recorded one goal, three points, and a plus-2 rating.
Oilers’ Mangipane & Regula Have Cleared Waivers
On Monday afternoon, Sportsnet’s Friedman reported that Mangiapane and Regula both cleared waivers. With this news, the Oilers are now permitted to assign the duo to the Condors’ roster.
It would have been clutch for the Oilers if a team claimed Mangiapane, as they would have freed up $3.6 million of cap space. However, with the veteran winger struggling this season and having another year left on his deal, it is not necessarily surprising to see him go unclaimed. Yet, they will still get some cap relief if they decide to send him to the AHL.
As for Regula, it certainly seemed possible that a team would claim the 25-year-old. NHL clubs are always on the hunt for big, right-shot defenseman, but Regula will be staying put with the Oilers organization for now after clearing waivers.
Oilers Learn Fates of 2 Recently Waived Players