James Reimer priced himself out of Toronto, according to Sportsnet's Damien Cox.
Reimer's $6-million asking price in mid-season contract negotiations with the Maple Leafs helped precipitate Saturday's trade to the San Jose Sharks, Cox said Saturday on Hockey Night in Canada's "Headlines" segment.
"There were brief contract negotiations between the Leafs and the goaltender during the season," Cox said. "But when the asking price came in at six million dollars per season, the Leafs said 'No thanks,' and decided to trade him."
At times this season, Reimer had the numbers to back up such a price, but he was ultimately shipped to San Jose for a package headlined by a fourth-round pick.
Reimer's agent, Ray Petkau, has since taken issue with Cox's report.
Double check those numbers. #BadSource https://t.co/Kb8oI2vv7H
— Ray Petkau (@RayPetkau) February 28, 2016
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The Edmonton Oilers appear to be setting the table for something bigger.
General manager Peter Chiarelli pulled off a trio of trades over the past 24 hours, all of which involved dealing expiring contracts in exchange for draft picks:
While Chiarelli's team appears headed towards another high first-round selection, possibly even the first overall pick, it doesn't mean he'll necessarily be heading to the podium when the picks he acquired Saturday come up at the 2016 draft.
"It doesn't necessarily mean we'll use them for drafting." GM Chiarelli on #Oilers potentially using picks to trade for roster players
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) February 28, 2016
Chiarelli added he may not be done dealing prior to Monday's trade deadline, and that the next couple of days could also be used to set the groundwork for other moves to come.
Part of the issue, the GM said, is not having had the ability to assess his roster at full strength, as centers Connor McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Leon Draisaitl have rarely been in the lineup at the same time this season.
The potential draft-day addition of Auston Matthews would certainly create a glut of talent at the position - something that Edmonton could solve, should they be put in the situation, by using the potential excess of talent at center to fill holes elsewhere.
Defenseman Eric Gryba represents the lone impending unrestricted free agent remaining on the Oilers' roster, and is a candidate to be dealt prior to Monday's 3 p.m. ET trade deadline.
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The Edmonton Oilers have traded defenseman Justin Schultz to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a third-round draft pick in 2016.
Oilers retain 50 percent of Schultz salary in Pens trade
— Pierre LeBrun (@Real_ESPNLeBrun) February 27, 2016
The deal closes a chapter on endless speculation regarding Schultz, who was a healthy scratch Thursday for "protection reasons."
"We were trying to add some depth to our defense and we were very pleased to add him," Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford said.
The 25-year-old moves on from the Oilers after joining them during the 2012-13 season as a free agent out of the University of Wisconsin.
After an impressive rookie season where he notched eight goals and 27 points, Schultz has seen his offensive production drop while criticism about his defensive play grew.
Schultz concludes his time with the Oilers with 28 goals and 101 points in 248 games.
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The Edmonton Oilers are believed to have traded goaltender Anders Nilsson to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for a mid-round draft pick, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie.
Nilsson, whose rights the Oilers acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks last summer, has posted a 10-12-2 record for Edmonton, while boasting a goals against average of 3.14 and a save percentage of .901.
The departure of Nilsson won't come as much of a shock for Oilers fans, as the 25-year-old netminder had been the subject of trade rumors leading up to next week's deadline, and was made a backup for Friday's loss in Anaheim after originally being announced as the starter.
With Brian Elliott nursing a lower body injury for at least the next four weeks, Nilsson could provide some insurance behind Jake Allen in St. Louis.
The Blues, third-place in the Central Division, enter the weekend in a comfortable playoff position at 35-19-9, three points behind the division-leading Dallas Stars.
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The Vancouver Canucks have completed a trade with another Western Canadian rival, sending a conditional 2017 fifth-round pick to the Edmonton Oilers for the rights of defenseman Philip Larsen.
Larsen, a former fifth-round selection with 125 games of NHL tread, has spent the last two seasons in the KHL after a 30-game stint (in which he netted 12 points) with Edmonton in 2013-14.
TSN's Bob McKenzie is reporting that the fifth-round pick could be elevated to a fourth-round selection should Larsen hit production thresholds.
The Oilers, who acquired Larsen in the Shawn Horcoff trade, extended the slight defenseman a qualifying offer before he bolted to Russia, thus retaining his rights.
The fifth-round pick used to land Larsen is the second 2017 draft selection that the rebuilding Canucks have parted with.
McKenzie also notes that Vancouver intends to sign Larsen before July 1, and have him join the team for next season.
Vancouver acquired Markus Granlund from the Calgary Flames on Monday in exchange for top prospect Hunter Shinkaruk.
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