CALGARY, Alberta – Calgary Flames general manager Jay Feaster says the team performed due diligence before signing Colorado forward Ryan O'Reilly to an offer sheet.
The Flames released a statement Friday after Rogers Sportsnet in Canada reported that O'Reilly would have been placed on waivers if the Avalanche hadn't matched Calgary's offer sheet.
Had the deal played out that way, the Flames would have lost a first- and third-round draft pick and O'Reilly, who would have likely been snapped up by another team.
That would have been unacceptable for any team, but particularly costly to an aging Flames team struggling to get into the Western Conference playoff race.
According to the NHL's collective bargaining agreement, O'Reilly would have had to clear waivers because he played two games in Russia's KHL after the start of the NHL regular season.
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