Andrew Mangiapane out for season with shoulder surgery

Life hasn’t been great for the Calgary Flames this season, as they spiral out of control in the general vicinity of missing the playoffs. But the team’s prospects have been a bright spot, notably several players on the American Hockey League’s Stockton Heat.

Unfortunately, we have some bad news: top AHL scorer Andrew Mangiapane will undergo shoulder surgery and will miss the remainder of the season.

Mangiapane, 21, was in the midst of his second pro season and has generally been a great performer for the Heat. He’s amassed 46 points in 39 AHL games, and would have had more games and points had he not been up with the Flames in the NHL for a good chunk of the year, playing his first 10 big-league games. He played almost exclusively in a bottom six winger role, but he didn’t look a bit out of place.

Mangiapane’s injury extinguishes the possibility of his return to the NHL this season – we can still hold out hope for a Rasmus Andersson appearance – and puts the pressure on the likes of Spencer Foo, Morgan Klimchuk, Hunter Shinkaruk and Brett Findlay to generate offense for the Heat as they fight for a Calder Cup playoff spot.