Oilers actually made it easier to trade Andrew Mangiapane by waiving him — and more

Oilers actually made it easier to trade Andrew Mangiapane by waiving him originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Edmonton Oilers recently waived Andrew Mangiapane.

It seemed like an admission that they're giving up on him, and for the most part, that's the case.

He's not actually gone, though. He can just be sent to the AHL when he clears waivers. And that actually increases his trade value.

Why?

Because an acquiring team can now send Mangiapane straight to the AHL themselves.

"He’s unlikely to be claimed, but that doesn’t mean he won’t still be moved in a subsequent trade," The Athletic's Chris Johnston wrote in his latest trade board. "Quite the contrary, in fact, because an acquiring team can send Mangiapane directly to the AHL once he’s passed through waivers and would be in a position to get a sweetener from Edmonton for taking on his contract. Mangiapane’s game is a long way from the 35-goal season he had in 2021-22, but he did score 13 even-strength goals in Washington last season and was also deployed as a penalty killer on the league’s fifth-best unit. Edmonton is desperate to clear up cap space for other moves, so he has to go."

MORE: Maple Leafs getting help from Flyers to trade veteran center

Mangiapane has a cap hit of $3.6 million and is still under contract through the 2026-27 season.

That means that a team acquiring him might hope that a change of scenery at least provides him a bit of a jolt to be a slight NHL contributor at times in the next year-plus.

The Oilers will give up what they need to to clear his salary off the books, though, and now it's easier with him available to be placed in the AHL.

More NHL news:

• Oilers want 2 positions before the NHL trade deadline
• A salary cap rule may make 2 Flames trades difficult
• Canadiens know trade cost for Robert Thomas
• It'll be complicated to trade for Steven Stamkos
• Alex Ovechkin has shared an update on his retirement plans
• Evgeni Malkin gets big news on a possible future

Criminal proceedings against alleged triple murderer Julian Ingram grind to a halt as the five-and-a-half week long search for the 37-year-old continues. 

Will Buxton adores Pato O'Ward, but he might not agree with the No. 5 Chevrolet for Arrow McLaren driver. O'Ward opposed the idea of doubleheader weekends — events that hold both INDYCAR and NASCAR at the same venue, in the same time frame. "Tired of INDYCAR being treated like a support race," O'Ward said. "INDYCAR shouldn't become a sideshow." That's often what happens when there are doubleheaders at places like St. Petersburg, which hosted the INDYCAR season opener on Sunday morning and a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race on Saturday. Plus, there's this weekend at Phoenix Raceway, with INDYCAR's Good Ranchers 250 on Saturday (3 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app) and NASCAR's Straight Talk Wireless 500 on Sunday (3:30 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app). However, Buxton, the FOX Sports INDYCAR play-by-play announcer, sees these doubleheaders as an "opportunity." "An opportunity for INDYCAR fans to fall in love with NASCAR and for NASCAR fans to fall in love with INDYCAR," Buxton said on Monday's episode of "SPEED With Harvick And Buxton." "[It's] for race fans in both camps to gain a new understanding and a new respect for championships which they might never have watched, or always believed that they shouldn't. Want people to remember you? Play the best damn gig of your life. INDYCAR simply has to do what it does best, and that's be the fastest racing on earth. That's how you make fans. And that's how INDYCAR becomes the headliner." "Look, I love Pato," Buxton added. "I love that he's honest, and he speaks from the heart. And while I know exactly where he's coming from, I think there's a bigger picture to look at here." [INDYCAR OPENER: 4 Takeaways From Alex Palou's Victory at St. Pete] Double-headers mean more eyeballs, more fans, more chances for Tyler Reddick fans to fall in love with Alex Palou and vice versa. "INDYCAR and NASCAR double headers are a great idea, because it shouldn't be about anyone other than the fans," Buxton said. "It has to be about what's right for them, and how the championship can maximize welcoming new fans to a racing product that we all adore. And the best way to do that is to simply get on with what INDYCAR does the best: putting on a show. The fastest racing on earth." INDYCAR will have the platform to do that this weekend at Phoenix.