The Edmonton Oilers have a problem. His name is Andrew Mangiapane. But across the division, the Los Angeles Kings have a nearly identical problem in former Oiler Warren Foegele.
Both are 29. Both are struggling. And both make almost the exact same salary.
Suddenly, a “problem-for-problem” swap isn’t just a rumor—it’s the most logical move on the board.
With the NHL trade deadline approaching and Kings GM Ken Holland admitting he’s “working the phones,” the framework for a reunion is already in place. Who says no?
Bringing Warren Foegele Home Makes Too Much Sense to Ignore
Let’s be honest: sometimes, a fit just isn’t there.
When the Oilers signed Andrew Mangiapane to that two-year, $7.2 million deal last summer, the vision was clear: a tenacious, secondary scorer who could agitate in the corners and finish around the net. Fast forward to February 2026, and the reality has been… underwhelming. Mangiapane looks lost in the Oilers’ top-nine, and with the playoffs looming, “waiting it out” is a luxury Edmonton doesn’t have.
But here is where things get interesting.
Down in Los Angeles, old friend Warren Foegele is living a parallel nightmare. After a spectacular debut season with the Kings in 2024-25—where he potted a career-high 24 goals—Foegele has hit a wall. Six goals in 43 games? Healthy scratches? That is not the player we saw tearing it up during the Oilers’ 2024 Cup run.
This is the classic “change of scenery” scenario screaming to happen.
I’ve been covering this league for a long time, and rarely do the stars align this perfectly for a one-for-one hockey trade.
- The Money Matches: Mangiapane is at $3.6M. Foegele is at $3.5M. The cap gymnastics required here are minimal—a rarity in today’s NHL.
- The Familiarity Factor: We know what Foegele brings to Edmonton. He fits the locker room. He knows the system. He’s a proven penalty killer who can skate miles—something the Oilers desperately need in their bottom six right now.
- The GM Connection: Ken Holland is now running the show in L.A. He knows this Oilers roster better than anyone. He signed Foegele in Edmonton; he knows the value there. If he’s already “working the phones,” you can bet Edmonton is one of his first calls.
“We got a lot of forwards obviously,” Holland admitted recently. That is GM-speak for “I need to move a body.”
Bringing Foegele back isn’t about nostalgia; it’s about asset management. Mangiapane is a distressed asset in Edmonton. Foegele is a distressed asset in L.A. But Foegele is a distressed asset that Edmonton knows how to fix.
If I’m the Oilers, I make this call yesterday. You trade a player who isn’t working for a guy who was a key part of your identity just two seasons ago. It’s low risk, high reward, and exactly the kind of move that stabilizes a roster before the real war begins in April.
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