Draft weekend has come and gone, and Steve Stamkos is officially the newest member of the Tampa Bay Lightning (even though he was pretty much assured a Florida address the day the ‘Bolts won the draft lottery).  Overshadowing Stamkos’ (and the rest of the draft class’) big night was the major trade activity all evening long.  By the end of the first round, 14 trades had been made — more than in the last 3 drafts combined.  Now that the dust has settled on the draft, let’s take a look at the players that have changed teams this weekend.

Mike Cammalleri –> Calgary
12th overall pick (originally Anaheim’s) –> LA
17th overall pick (originally Calgary’s), 28th overall pick (originally LA’s) –> Anaheim

Within the first half hour of the draft, the Kings and the Flames made a big splash, announcing the movement of Mike Cammalleri, who had been the topic of many potential deals (no matter how ridiculous) in the previous weeks.  I think this is a great addition for the Flames.  Cammalleri put up great numbers early in the year last year, and although there was a drop off in his production, he was still very consistent on a terrible Kings team.  Using him as replacement for Alex Tanguay in order to save cap space for Daymond Langkow is a great move by the Calgary management.  As for the Kings, it’s become painfully obvious over the past few years that they need to rebuild.  While I would have probably looked to acquire something more than a draft pick for a player of Cammalleri’s caliber, clearing that cap room could put the Kings in the running for some of the better UFAs, while stocking their farm system for the coming seasons.  A solid move by all clubs involved.

Alex Tanguay, 5th round pick –> Montreal
25th overall pick, 2009 2nd round pick –> Calgary

I touched on this a little bit in talking about Cammalleri.  Tanguay will be a great addition for the Habs — a solid veteran forward amongst the explosive young talent.  Tanguay didn’t have the strongest numbers this year  Calgary dumps his salary after adding Cammalleri in his spot, and gains some additional young talent.  Another strong move by both parties.

Olli Jokinen –> Phoenix
Keith Ballard, Nick Boynton, 49th overall pick –> Florida

This was probably the most criticized trade of the day, but I think Florida addressed a lot of their needs in acquiring two young defenseman.  That being said, I still tend to agree with the majority of those who think Phoenix got the better end of this deal.  Jokinen is a talented forward who has been putting up strong numbers in Florida, despite the lack of a supporting cast and his issues with the Panthers’ management.  A change in scenery can only improve his performance, and the young stars in Phoenix will absolutely benefit from having another veteran forward in their lineup.  Meanwhile, the Panthers certainly filled some holes on their blue line — but lost a LOT of scoring power, and don’t look to be filling that hole anytime soon.  While it was made very clear from the end of the season that Jokinen was on his way out, I think Jacques Martin could have found himself better compensation for the former captain.

RJ Umberger, 118th overall pick –> Columbus
19th overall pick, 67th overall pick –> Philadelphia

This move caught me by surprise.  After netting 10 goals and 15 points in 17 games in the Flyers impressive playoff run this year, I expected Umberger to be atop the Flyers’ list of priority signings.  Apparently, the 26-year-old didn’t quite fit into the club’s plans, and he was shipped to Columbus for a couple of draft picks.  For Columbus, this is a fantastic move.  Umberger is still fairly young, has shown he has the ability to be an explosive scorer, and that he can play well in the clutch moments.  He is an excellent addition to a club still seeking its first playoff berth.  For the Flyers’, this clears out the cap space they need to sign Jeff Carter to a long-term deal and prevent another team from snatching him away with an offer sheet after July 1st.  I can’t say I agree with letting a player of Umberger’s talent-level get away for mere draft picks, but in the salary cap era, more and more of these sort of moves are going to happen.

Steve Eminger, 84th overall pick –> Philadelphia
27th overall pick –> Washington

This move sort of snuck by unnoticed at the end of the night.  Eminger had a rough year with the Caps this season, playing only 20 games. He’s a solid defenseman and should fit in well in Philly.  Washington needs cap space to sign Mike Green and Cristobal Huet in order to keep the core of their team together, and as a young team still building for the future, the extra draft picks can go a long way.

Looking ahead, just over a week ahead from the July 1st free agency deadline.  Marian Hossa announced yesterday that he would not, in fact, be signing with the Penguins without testing the waters, likely making him the most sought after free agent on the market.  This week, I’ll be taking a look at the available UFAs, RFAs, and potential signings leading up to the big day.  Stay tuned!