NHL Trade News: The Winners and Losers of the Summer's 10 Biggest Trades Yet

There have been many trades this offseason, including a couple of shocking trades. Besides trading players, the rights to players were moved a lot this offseason as well.

Obviously, when a team makes a trade, they believe that they got the better end of the deal—otherwise they wouldn't have made the trade.

However, we've decided to analyze 10 of the most notable trades this offseason, whether for the player or the right to sign the player, and select the winner and loser of each trade.

While both sides might have done well in the trade, a winner will have to be chosen.

Here are the winners and losers of the 10 biggest trades of the summer to date.  

10. Anaheim Ducks Acquire the Rights to Andrew Cogliano

To ANA: Rights to RFA Andrew Cogliano

To EDM: 2013 second-round pick

Winner: Anaheim 

Analysis

Once upon a time, Cogliano was poised to become a top young star. After his rookie season though, he had a sophomore slump and hasn't bounced back from it. 

However, now that he's moved from Edmonton to Anaheim, who is very talented offensively, his production will surely see a significant increase. 

It seems like he could have been worth more a second-round pick in two years, despite the fact that he's not as highly demanded and the fact that he was an RFA. 

Anaheim wins this one, because even if Cogliano does nothing for him, they only had to give up a second-round pick in 2013 to get him. 

9. Colorado Avalanche Acquire the Rights to Semyon Varlamov

To COL: Rights to RFA Semyon Varlamov

To WAS: 2012 first-round pick, 2012 or 2013 second-round pick 

Winner: Washington

Analysis

This one was tricky, but we're giving the edge to the Washington Capitals. Varlamov has played only 59 games in the NHL and despite the fact that he was fighting for the No. 1 spot the last two, he played fewer than 30 games each season. 

His GAA and save percentages have been good, but not as good as they were expected to be, after his initial playoff appearances in 2009. 

It looked like the Caps were going to let Varlamov walk for nothing, as the goaltender was considering returning to play in Russia, where he wouldn't have to split playing time.

This way, the Caps got rid of an inconsistent, injury-prone goaltender and will have a first-round pick next year and a second-rounder sometime in the next two. 

Until Varlamov proves he can be a consistent and healthy goaltender, the Capitals got the better end of this deal. 

8. Columbus Blue Jackets Acquire Rights to James Wisniewski

To CBJ: Rights to James Wisniewski

To MON: 2012 seventh-round pick

Winner: Columbus 

Analysis

James Wisniewski has disappointed some in his NHL career, but last season while in Montreal, we saw glimpses of the Wisniewski we expected. 

The Canadiens traded the rights to Wisniewski to Columbus, who were really in need of defense. 

The Blue Jackets subsequently signed Wisniewski to a six-year, $33 million deal, meaning they think he's worth quite a lot.

In that case, Columbus got him for dirt cheap, for just a seventh-round, aka the last round, draft pick. 

7. Robyn Regehr to the Buffalo Sabres

To BUF: Robyn Regehr, Ales Kotalik, 2012 second-round pick

To CAL: Chris Butler, Paul Byron

Winner: Buffalo

Analysis

Robyn Regehr's name was brought up many times in trade rumors and he was finally part of a trade to the Sabres during draft weekend. 

The Sabres get both veteran and young presences out of this deal, along with a second-round pick in 2012. 

If Calgary doesn't perform well, that could be a high draft pick in that second round, which makes this a great deal for Buffalo. 

6. Brent Burns to the San Jose Sharks

To SJS: Brent Burns, 2012 second-round pick 

To MIN: Devin Setoguchi , Charlie Coyle, 2011 first-round pick (28th—they selected Zack Phillips)

Winner: Toss-up

Analysis

On the one hand, the San Jose Sharks get a good defenseman as well as a second-round draft pick next season.

The Wild get a young player with a lot more potential in front of him and now have two new prospects.

It's really a toss-up between who got the better end of this deal.  

5. Dany Heatley to the Minnesota Wild

To MIN: Dany Heatley

To SJS: Martin Havlat

Winner: Minnesota Wild

Analysis

This second trade between the Minnesota Wild and San Jose Sharks was a lot simpler than the first. This one only involved two players, one forward for another forward.

Thus, we can just compare the two players to see the winner of the deal, as it looks now.

The Wild seemed to get the better player out of the deal, since Heatley has had two 100-plus-point seasons since the lockout and two 80-plus seasons. Last season, Heatley scored 64 points.

On the other hand, the most points Havlat has scored since the lockout was 77. Last season, he scored 62.  

4. New York Islanders Acquire Rights to Christian Ehrhoff, Trade to Buffalo

To NYI: Rights to Christian Ehrhoff

To VAN: 2012 fourth-round pick

To BUF: Rights to Christian Ehrhoff

To NYI: 2012 fourth-round pick  

Winner: Buffalo Sabres

Analysis

The Vancouver Canucks knew they could not re-sign Christian Ehrhoff for what he wanted, so they shipped the right to sign him to the New York Islanders.

The Islanders couldn't get a deal done, so they shipped him off to the Buffalo Sabres, who eventually signed the defenseman to a 10-year, $40 million deal. 

The Sabres and Ehrhoff are the winners here, but the Islanders are the losers. 

3. Philadelphia Flyers Acquire the Rights to Ilya Bryzgalov

To PHI: Rights to Ilya Bryzgalov

To PHO: 2012 third-round pick, Matt Clackson, future considerations

Winner: Philadelphia Flyers

Analysis

Even though the Philadelphia Flyers were only trading for the negotiating rights to Ilya Bryzgalov, they paid a large price to get them. 

It paid off, as they've locked down Bryzgalov long-term, hopefully solving their goaltending issues. 

The Coyotes got a good deal in return, with a player and a draft pick, along with future considerations. 

However, they still lost out on Bryzgalov, even though they couldn't afford to keep him, which makes the Flyers the winners from this trade. 

2. Jeff Carter to the Columbus Blue Jackets

To CBJ: Jeff Carter

To PHI: Jakub Voracek, 2011 first-round pick (eighth overall—Sean Couturier)

Winner: Philadelphia 

Analysis

Even though the Philadelphia Flyers signed Jeff Carter to a long-term deal last year and expected him to be there for a long time, they traded him to the Columbus Blue Jackets before the draft. 

While Carter is a good point-producer, he's been injury-prone the past couple of seasons. After scoring 46 goals and 84 points in 2008-09, 2009-10 he scored only 61 points and 66 last season.

That's still a respectable amount and will help the Blue Jackets, but it wasn't cutting it for the Flyers.

In return, they got a top young prospect and a top-10 draft pick in exchange for a player who's been on the decline. 

1. Mike Richards to the Los Angeles Kings

To LAK: Mike Richards, Rob Bordson

To PHI: Brayden Schenn, Wayne Simmonds, 2012 second-round draft pick 

Winner: Los Angeles Kings

Analysis

Even though it seems like the Philadelphia Flyers got an amazing deal out of this, I still give the edge to the Los Angeles Kings.

Mike Richards is a special kind of player. He's a power forward and one of the most underrated two-way forwards in the league, despite his smaller stature. He put up a respectable amount of points too, while fighting a wrist injury. 

Richards is already a top player and will be a top player for years to come, whereas Philadelphia received prospects who still have to prove themselves, which could go either way.

For now, Los Angeles wins this one.