Calgary Flames Winger Gets Inked
The Calgary Flames have signed Andrew Mangiapane to a entry-level contract.
The Calgary Flames have found a scoring ace in the 6th round pick and made a very wise decision to sign the scoring phenom to an entry level deal.
Young forward Andrew Mangiapane has had nothing short of an unforgettable season with the Barrie Colts, recording 106 points in 59 games. This is a career high for the speedster, who is ranked sixth in OHL scoring. This puts him in elite company with former top five picks Dylan Strome and Mitch Marner. This list also includes Matthew Tkachuk, who is projected as a top 6 in the upcoming entry draft. His recent hot streak has earned him CHL Player of the Month honours.
The scoring upside of this prospect was underrated at the start of the season, but make no mistake he is now on the radar of the entire front office. Management has shown confidence this scoring ace by signing him to an entry level contract three years faster than the time it took the organization to sign current face of the franchise Johnny Gaudreau.
Mangiapane’s scoring upside with matched with his amazing puck sense and great hands. It remains to be seen if this can translate to the NHL level, but this young stud is putting on a show in OHL. He will also get a taste of some playoff action as the Barrie Colts face off against the Mississauga Steelheads.
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Upper management has a few options when it comes to the development of Mangiapane:
- Patience
Let Mangiapane develop for a few years in the minors, allowing him to get adjusted to the bigger game in the AHL. The depth at left wing for the Calgary Flames is decently stocked so the organization has the ability to wait and let Mangiapane develop his game.
- Trial
There could be a call-up at the start of next season to give the winger of the NHL speed in preseason and the first few games of the regular season without burning a year off of his entry level deal. This option could happen, but I feel like it less likely to happen due to Mangiapane’s size and inexperience at the NHL level.
- Full Time
This is the highly unlikely option of seeing Mangiapane as a regular NHLer. He does have a high skill level to compliment his speed and hockey IQ, but his inexperience and size in a tough pacific division could only serve as a detriment to his development. The future is bright for this youngster, but he is still a few years away from getting regular NHL action.
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At this point in his young career, I can’t see the Flames giving Mangiapane much of a shot this year with the big club. He just needs more time to develop, a luxury that the organization has. He could surprise and acclimate to the bigger game faster than expected, but that chance is highly unlikely. Mangiapane is having a career year as one of the top players in the OHL and this signing just shows how much confidence front office has in what appears to be one of the biggest steals of the 2015 NHL draft.