Andrew Mangiapane, Alec Regula Clear Waivers; Mangiapane Expected to Join Bakersfield Condors

Andrew Mangiapane and defenseman Alec Regula cleared NHL waivers and are expected to be assigned to the Edmonton Oilers’ AHL affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors. OilersNation’s Jason Gregor summed the clearance succinctly: "Mangiapane clears. Regula also clears." Sportsnet quoted general manager Stan Bowman as saying, "Still, general manager Stan Bowman said Monday the move was made for salary-cap reasons as opposed to performance."

The waivers cleared on March 2, 2026 and set up an immediate sequence of roster moves. OilersNation reports both players "will now need to report to the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors and appear in one game for them before being eligible to be recalled." Edmonton is expected to recall forwards Josh Samanski and Isaac Howard to the NHL roster while placing Mattias Janmark on long-term injured reserve to create cap space.

Mangiapane signed a two-year, $7.2 million contract with Edmonton on July 1 and has another year at an average of $3.6 million on the books, per the Edmonton Journal. His 2025-26 numbers have been underwhelming: 52 games, seven goals and seven assists for 14 points and a career-worst plus/minus of minus-19, with an average ice time of 12:36 and multiple healthy scratches this season. Sportsnet noted the signing was intended to provide depth behind Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl and added, "It hasn't worked out." Assigning Mangiapane to the AHL is estimated to save about $1.15 million against the cap.

Alec Regula, listed at 6-foot-4 and 211 pounds, has played 29 NHL games this season for the Oilers with zero goals, three assists and a minus-16 rating while averaging 14:28 of ice time, according to TSN. His contract carries a $775,000 cap hit and "has another full year to go yet," the Edmonton Journal reported. Regula has also skated for Bakersfield this season and recorded three points in three AHL games; Edmonton’s placement of him in the AHL is estimated to save roughly $700,000. TSN adds Regula was claimed off waivers by Edmonton from the Boston Bruins on Dec. 11, 2024.

The cap math is explicit: the Journal framed it this way, "The moves create two roster spaces on the big club but as important if not more…it creates critical cap space. Mangiapane in the AHL saves about $1.15m, Regula around $700K. And it also sets up a scenario where the club can more efficiently manage the bonus components of two contracts, for Josh Samanski and Ike Howard." Those savings and the required one AHL game before recall position Edmonton to manage bonuses and roster spots in the immediate post-Olympic window ahead of the March 6 trade deadline.

The waiver wire produced other churn the same day. The Minnesota Wild claimed Robby Fabbri from the St. Louis Blues, while Luke Kunin and Guillaume Brisebois cleared waivers. TSN noted Brisebois has not played in the NHL or AHL this season and is on a one-year, $775,000 contract. New on waivers that day were Erik Gustafsson, Gustav Olofsson and Tyler Pitlick.

There are a few source inconsistencies to note. Sportsnet lists Mangiapane as a sixth-round draft pick, 166th overall, in the 2015 NHL draft, while the Edmonton Journal contains a typographical error listing that pick as 2025. The Journal also alternates between "Isaac Howard" and "Ike Howard" in reference to the expected recall. For roster and cap timing the clear next step is simple: both players must play one game in Bakersfield before Edmonton can recall them, and that clock now matters as the club manages dollars and roster spots in the run to the March 6 trade deadline.