Andrew Mangiapane will be in the Washington Capitals’ lineup against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night. The visit to Calgary’s Saddledome will be Mangiapane’s first since the Flames traded him to Washington for a 2025 second-round draft pick last June.
The Flames drafted Mangiapane in the sixth round of the 2015 NHL Draft. The 28-year-old winger spent his first eight pro seasons in Calgary’s organization, posting his best individual stats during the 2021-22 campaign, when he recorded 55 points (35g, 20a) in 82 games.
“Calgary was great for me,” Mangiapane told Washington’s Mike Vogel pregame. “It was honestly my second home, so just kinda going back should be exciting, should be a good game, and I’m sure it’ll be a little weird being on the opposing side, but I’m sure my teammates here will help me out and bring their A-game for us.”
Mangiapane was dealt by Calgary after posting 40 points (14g, 26a) in 75 games for the Flames last season. He had one year remaining on his contract with a cap hit of $5.8 million. The second-round pick used to acquire him was received by the Capitals when they traded Lars Eller to the Colorado Avalanche a season prior.
“It’s obviously a little different,” Mangiapane said. “Never really been traded in my career, but honestly, all the players, management, and the whole Caps organization have welcomed me with open arms and helped me out with everything, where to live, on-ice stuff, off-ice stuff, little things like that. They’ve been great and made it an easy transition for me.”
This trip back to Calgary is also Mangiapane’s first since the tragic death of his close friend and former Flames teammate Johnny Gaudreau. Mangiapane has written Gaudreau’s initials and included hearts on the tape of some of the sticks he’s used for the Capitals this season.
Mangiapane has been used up and down the club’s lineup in his first year with the Capitals. Head coach Spencer Carbery is currently deploying the versatile winger on the team’s fourth line with Nic Dowd and Brandon Duhaime. He started the season on Washington’s first line with Alex Ovechkin and Dylan Strome after skating with the high-scoring duo during the preseason.
“He’s a great guy,” Ovechkin said Tuesday. “Unbelievable guy in the locker room. Hard-working guy, don’t be afraid to go in the battles. He’s good.”
Mangiapane’s return to Calgary comes in the middle of his second-longest goal-scoring drought this year. He hasn’t potted a goal in six games, setting the stage for an opportunity to burn his older team and get back on track offensively at the same time.
“Him coming back home to the organization that he grew up in, became a pro, and broke through in the NHL,” Carbery said. “Not just the NHL but also started in the minors here, played for a lot of the coaches here. Good moment and a great game tonight for Mang to come back and play against his old team.”
Mangiapane won’t be the only Capitals player making a homecoming as starting goaltender Logan Thompson, fresh off a six-year contract extension, will tend the pipes for Washington in his hometown. Carbery tapped Charlie Lindgren for two straight starts against the Seattle Kraken and Vancouver Canucks last week so that Thompson would be on target to start against the Flames in front of his friends and family.
