Having no picks in the first three rounds made it look as though it would be a quiet Will Hernandez Jersey Elite , boring and ineffective weekend for the Calgary Flames.

Instead, they became one of the biggest winners at the NHL draft by acquiring 23-year-old forward Elias Lindholm and 21-year-old defenseman Noah Hanifin in a five-player trade with Carolina on Saturday. It cost the Flames defenseman Dougie Hamilton, winger Micheal Ferland and prospect Adam Fox, but they got younger and may have restored their lineup to its rightful order.

Lindholm is a natural center, but could be the perfect fit on Calgary’s first line alongside Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan. Moving Hamilton will allow T.J. Brodie to slide back on to the first defensive pairing with Mark Giordano, while Hanifin could benefit from playing with those veterans on the blue line.

”I think Noah is just scratching the surface,” general manager Brad Treliving said. ”We’ve got some guys on the blue line who can produce. We also want guys who want to be in Calgary. Both players talking today, in Elias and Noah, they’re excited to get out there.”

Beyond the Flames, here are some more winners and losers from the NHL draft:

WINNER: PHILIPP GRUBAUER

After lifting the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals Danny Salazar Jersey , Grubauer was traded to the Colorado Avalanche where he’ll initially split time with Semyon Varlamov but should take over as the starter after next season. Grubauer signed a $10 million, three-year contract in the biggest payday of his career.

LOSER: NEW YORK ISLANDERS

They got strong value in first-round picks Oliver Wahlstrom and Noah Dobson, but didn’t agree to terms on a new deal with John Tavares before he could begin meeting with other teams Sunday. Tavares will host five teams in the coming days and could become a free agent July 1, which would be devastating for the Islanders.

”I have no disappointment, no discouragement,” GM Lou Lamoriello said. ”He’s earned every right to make whatever choice he has. The most important thing is that we hope in the end that he’s an Islander.”

WINNER: BUFFALO SABRES

After years of wandering and floundering, the Sabres have a franchise defenseman in No. 1 pick Rasmus Dahlin. This was set in stone in April when Buffalo won the lottery, but the organization will get an up-close look at the Swedish playmaker at prospect camp and has every reason to be excited about the future.

”He’s a young player, he’s 18 years old, there’s high expectations down the road Taijuan Walker Jersey ,” GM Jason Botterill said. ”But it’s going to be imperative to us to protect him, put him in and put him in the right situations so he can have success.”

LOSER: ENTERTAINMENT

The only trades involving NHL players were the deal by Carolina and Calgary and the Capitals trading Grubauer and defenseman Brooks Orpik to Colorado. None of the top 10 picks changed hands, and most of the two days went off without drama.

WINNER: ILYA KOVALCHUK

The Kontinental Hockey League’s leading scorer and Olympic MVP had plenty of suitors and wound up agreeing to a three-year deal with the Los Angeles Kings worth $6.25 million a season. The 35-year-old is returning to the NHL on the same deal Patrick Marleau got from the Toronto Maple Leafs a year ago, which is a coup for Kovalchuk.

LOSER: MONTREAL CANADIENS

Rumors persisted about Montreal trading captain Max Pacioretty or even acquiring center Ryan O’Reilly from Buffalo. Neither move happened, leaving Marc Bergevin with a lengthy to-do list after already trading Alex Galchenyuk to Arizona for Max Domi.

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Washington Redskins rookie Derrius Guice is learning there is plenty to learn about his new professional football life.

In the days since selected late in the second round of last month's NFL draft, the running back attended the team's rookie minicamp and the four-day NFLPA's Rookie Premiere event in California. The latter is designed to help players understand the business and marketing side of their new career.

"It was very tiring. A lot of long days," Guice said. "In the end, a lot of it will pay off. Something all the rookies need going into the NFL."

Guice already went through plenty. Various controversies鈥?some over maturity concerns for the 20-year-old player, others possibly mere unfounded rumors 鈥?caused a draft slide to the 59th overall spot. That hasn't kept Guice down nor kept him from maintaining focus.

"I'm handling everything, man. I'm just ready to get to the season Wholesale Josh Sweat Jersey ," Guice said.

Other parts of his football education come from his new teammates, such as quarterback Alex Smith and tight end Vernon Davis. The two veterans are each 34 years old, which means they began their career when Guice was in elementary school.

The three were among players and team officials at the Army-Navy Country Club for the annual Redskins Charity Golf Classic on Monday morning. As the former LSU standout finished his session with local reporters, Guice spotted Davis.

"How old was I when you got in the league?" the rookie joked.

Standing a few steps away, Davis laughed and responded, "Six? Seven?"

The tight end might have the timeline wrong 鈥? Davis was selected sixth overall in the 2006 draft when Guice was 10 鈥?but the age-gap point remains. Guice and the other first-year players have already been around the veterans for some informal workouts. Three weeks of Organized Team Activities (OTA) begin Tuesday.

"Just getting out there with the vets. It's always different than just practicing with the rookies," Guice said. "When you're out there with the guys who are out there like Vernon, who is 34, has been in the league since I was 10. Just getting out there with those guys and seeing how they help their bodies stay clean and young throughout the years. Them training you how to be professional inside and outside the building."

Guice isn't the only one on the roster learning about Smith. Washington acquired the 13-year veteran in a stunning trade with Kansas City in January.

"He's a very smart guy," Guice said of Smith John Franklin-Myers Color Rush Jersey , who led the NFL with 104.7 QB-rating last season. "He's willing to help the rookies. He's not one of those guys who, if the rookie messes up, is like get him out of there. He's willing to help you and work with you."

As for the passing part, Guice said, "(Alex) has an arm, yeah."

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