Andrew Mangiapane is one of the young stars in the Calgary Flames’ lineup and hasn’t missed a game since the 2019-20 season. As one of the franchise’s best late-round draft picks, with his best season in 2021-22 with 35 goals and 55 points, he has two years left on his current deal.
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Although he took a step back with his offensive production in 2022-23, under a new coach this year, he can regain his scoring touch and restore the fan’s faith in his abilities. So in case anyone forgot about his achievements in professional hockey thus far, here are five cool things about his career.
5. Statistically, One of the Flames’ Best Sixth-Round Picks
The first sixth-round pick in Flames history was Frank Blum (1972), who never played in the NHL. However, since their inaugural season, the team has selected 49 players in the sixth round, with Mangiapane being their lone pick in 2015.
Heading into the 2023-24 season, the Toronto, Ontario, native has skated in 342 games, collecting 95 goals, 80 assists, and 175 points. Statistically, Brett Hull is the franchise’s best sixth-round draft pick (1984), but he only played 57 games with the franchise. Therefore, a player like Mangiapane, who has spent significant time with the club, has a chance to become the best skater from his draft round.
Although he didn’t follow up his career year from 2021-22 with another spectacular campaign in 2022-23, Mangiapane is now only chasing Ken Houston for several team milestones. As the Flames’ sixth-round pick in 1973, Houston currently holds all the top totals regarding games played (462), goals (128), assists (145), and points (273) when discussing sixth-round draft picks in team history. Considering Mangiapane has two seasons remaining on his current contract, he will likely surpass Houston in every category.
4. Collected Back to Back 100 Point Seasons in the OHL
Mangiapane joined the Barrie Colts at the start of the 2013-14 season but underperformed in 68 games, netting 58 points. Unfortunately, the scouts did not rank him for the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, and he went undrafted.
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Returning to Colts camp for the 2014-15 season on a mission to earn his spot in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Mangiapane responded with 104 points thanks to 43 goals and 61 assists. Eventually, he got ranked 88th, and the Flames drafted him 166th overall.
After being drafted by Calgary, Mangiapane rewarded their faith in his abilities by racking up 106 points in 2015-16, reaching 51 goals and finishing one point behind Matthew Tkachuk (107 points) for fifth in OHL scoring. Ultimately, after a slow start to his OHL career, he finished with 261 points in 195 games.
3. Has Scored at Least One Goal Against 30 NHL Teams
As an NHL player for the last six seasons, Mangiapane has scored at least one goal against 30 teams, with his favorite opponent being the Vancouver Canucks. Although he’s played more games (24) and collected more points (19) against the Edmonton Oilers, his best goal totals (11) are against the Canucks.
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Meanwhile, he has points against 31 teams but has never factored in on a goal against the Chicago Blackhawks, going pointless in 12 games thus far. Additionally, his minus-eight rating against the team is the worse of his career. Besides his struggles against Chicago, Mangiapane has yet to score a goal against the Carolina Hurricanes.
2. Enjoys Scoring Against Western Canadian Netminders
Through 342 games, Mangiapane has scored just one hat trick in his career, achieving the feat against the Anaheim Ducks on Feb. 17, 2020. Surprisingly, he has yet to register five goals against any netminder, with Braden Holtby, Connor Hellebuyck, Mike Smith, and Thatcher Demko surrendering four goals a piece.
Interestingly, Mangiapane tallied all 16 goals while those goalies were playing with the Canucks (Holtby and Demko), Oilers (Smith), and Winnipeg Jets (Hellebuyck). Even though he’s beat 57 different netminders, he enjoys doing it while they are playing in Western Canada.
1. Mangiapane is a Gold Medalist and MVP at World Championships
Since making his professional hockey debut at 21 years old, Mangiapane has represented Canada on just one occasion, skating at the 2021 World Championships. Interestingly, in his only appearance on the international stage, he walked away with a gold medal and tournament MVP honors.
After scoring seven goals and collecting 11 points, Mangiapane helped Canada go 6-0-1 to win their 27th world title. Ultimately, he brought life to the struggling team, who had lost all their round-robin games before he arrived in Latvia.
Further Perspective
As mentioned, Mangiapane should remain in a Flames uniform for the next two seasons and is a proven goal scorer who gets a clean slate heading into 2023-24. Whether skating with the top guys or the third line, he’s a vital part of the team’s offensive attack and has a chance to become one of the better draft picks in franchise history.