Goaltender Vitek Vanecek is being traded

This just in, the San Jose Sharks are holding goaltender Vitek Vanecek out of the lineup for tonight's game against the Buffalo Sabres, citing "trade purposes."

The 29 year old goalie is in the final year of a three year deal that pays him $3.4 million per season and the Sharks are unable to retain any salary on a potential trade.

Vanecek has been linked to the Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers in trade rumors the past week, but I'm honestly wondering what these teams see in him?

He hasn't been great for the Sharks this season, with just 3 wins in 18 starts and a dreadful .882 save percentage. Obviously, his stats are probably deflated by the fact that he plays for one of the worst teams in the NHL but what's most telling for me is that he has struggled to keep the net. MacKenzie Blackwood, before his trade to the Colorado Avalanche, was the team's starter with Vanecek backing him up. Now it appears that Alexandar Georgiev is the team's starter with Vanecek backing him up. Even youngster Yaroslav Askarov has looked better than Vanecek this season and he's currently down with the AHL San Jose Barracuda.

To me, Vanecek makes sense for the Panthers as a back up for Sergei Bobrosvky, following the Seth Jones/Spencer Knight trade. But... Edmonton? Does Vanecek give the Oilers anything more than they already have in Stuart Skinner or Calvin Pickard?

Stay tuned for official confirmation of a deal when it breaks.