SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Sharks traded goalie Vesa Toskala and forward Mark Bell to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday for three draft picks, including a first-rounder, in the first big deal of NHL draft day.

Toskala teamed up with Evgeni Nabokov over the previous three seasons to form one of the NHL’s best goaltending tandems. But both players’ desire to be starters prompted general manager Doug Wilson to give up a homegrown talent in exchange for draft picks.

The Sharks got the choice to take Toronto’s first-round pick Friday – 13th overall – or next season’s pick. San Jose also got the Maple Leafs’ second-round pick – 44th overall – and a fourth-round pick in 2009.

The Maple Leafs picked up a tested veteran goalie who will challenge Andrew Raycroft for their starting job. Despite playing behind Nabokov down the stretch run, Toskala went 26-10-1 for San Jose last season with a 2.35 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage – both better numbers than Raycroft.