The Edmonton Oilers continue to pare down their payroll for July 1, as the club has dealt forward Patrick O'Sullivan to the Phoenix Coyotes for defenceman Jim Vandermeer.
O'Sullivan will be bought out by the Coyotes. According to www.capgeek.com, O'Sullivan's buyout is $795,583. The Oilers will keep Vandermeer and add his toughness to their thin defence corps.
O'Sullivan, 25, is scheduled to have a salary cap hit of $2.925 million next season. In 73 games with Edmonton last season, he scored 11 goals and tallied 34 points, while posting a minus-35 rating.
Vandermeer is a 30-year-old defenceman who had 12 points and 60 penalty minutes in 62 games with the Coyotes last season. His salary cap hit will be $2.3 million next season.
