Andrew Mangiapane was not a highly touted prospect in his draft year. He wasn’t ranked and wasn’t drafted. In 2015, his second year of eligibility, he was a sixth round pick. Calgary Flames interim coach Geoff Ward noted to the media on Wednesday afternoon of Mangiapane: “Before I came to Calgary I knew absolutely nothing about him.”
But for much of the past season, and their qualifying round series, Mangiapane has been the Flames best player.
Selected 166th overall in 2015 – he was the 85th-ranked North American skater as an overage draftee after a 104-point OHL season with the Barrie Colts – Mangiapane has often been dismissed because of his size.