The Edmonton Oilers are considering a significant lineup shakeup, with indications pointing to two established forwards sitting out as healthy scratches. Based on practice observations on Monday, January 5, 2026, veterans Trent Frederic and Andrew Mangiapane appear to be the potential odd men out.
Practice Lines Hint at Major Change
The news originated from Tony Brar of Oilers TV, who reported the forward combinations and defensive pairings from the team's Monday skate. The alignment of players strongly suggests that head coach Kris Knoblauch is contemplating removing both Frederic and Mangiapane from the active roster for the next game, despite both players being fully healthy.
The forward lines at practice were structured as follows:
- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Connor McDavid – Zach Hyman
- Vasily Podkolzin – Leon Draisaitl – Pontus Kapanen
- Isaac Howard – Adam Henrique – Jack Roslovic
- Mattias Janmark – Curtis Lazar – Matthew Savoie
- Andrew Mangiapane – Trent Frederic – Lane Hutson
The final grouping of Mangiapane, Frederic, and Hutson represents the extra skaters, signaling their likely status as scratches. On defense, the pairings were Mattias Ekholm with Evan Bouchard, Darnell Nurse with Alec Regula, and Samuel Stastney with Jacob Emberson, with Mikey Anderson and Chris Tanev not listed. Connor Ingram and Calvin Pickard manned the practice nets.
Analyzing the Potential Scratches
The decision to potentially sit both Frederic and Mangiapane is notable given their roles and experience. Trent Frederic, acquired for his physical, bottom-six presence, has contributed grit and occasional offense. Andrew Mangiapane, a former 35-goal scorer with Calgary, was brought in to add secondary scoring and two-way responsibility.
Their projected absence points to a desire from the coaching staff to inject different elements into the lineup. The promotion of younger players like Matthew Savoie and the deployment of Isaac Howard on a line with established veterans indicate a search for more speed or offensive spark. This move underscores the competitive nature of the Oilers' forward group and the constant evaluation of performance.
Implications for Oilers' Strategy
Benching two regular NHLers is a clear message to the entire roster about accountability and performance standards. It creates immediate internal competition for playing time. For Frederic and Mangiapane, it becomes a challenge to reclaim their spots through improved practice habits and, when given the chance, on-ice production.
This lineup adjustment also reflects the team's depth, allowing them to sit capable veterans without a drastic drop in lineup quality. The Oilers' management and coaching staff are clearly willing to make tough decisions to optimize the roster as they navigate the long NHL season and push for playoff positioning.
As of now, these are practice lines and not an official game roster. However, in the NHL, practice alignments the day before a game are a highly reliable indicator of coaching intentions. Fans and analysts will be watching closely for the official lineup announcement to see if this significant change is finalized.
