Here's a look back at the 2008 NHL Draft, including a breakdown of the top six picks and analysis of the major trades and transactions that went down before and during the draft. Kudos to Inside Hockey columnist Farhan Devji, who correctly projected the first 14 selections in his mock draft. Nice work, Farhan!

But before we get down to the analysis, I'd like to congratulate new Lightning owner Oren Koules and the entire Tampa organization for selecting Denver University recruit David Carle in the seventh round of the NHL Entry Draft. They chose Carle despite the fact that his hockey career has to be cut short due to a heart condition discovered by doctors during the NHL Draft Combine. This is certainly a great example of how one can start things off on the right foot, giving Carle the opportunity to at least experience the part of the dream where he heard his name called on draft day.

"I'm really quite fortunate they were able to find it before it was too late," Carle told Mike Chambers of the Denver Post. "It's tough, but I'm just trying to focus on the positives."

Helping him to that end, Denver head coach George Gwozdecky has made the classy decision to to fully honor Carle's scholarship.

"We are so grateful for David's long- term health," Gwozdecky said. "(Not being able to play hockey is) very disappointing for David, his family and, obviously, our program. But we are still very grateful to have him at the University of Denver."

Hockey people are universally considered the nicest in sports, and this is just one more example of why it's an honor to cover this great sport and interact regularly with its salt-of-the-earth personalities at each and every level.

#1: Lightning Choose Stamkos

Some have suggested that the first-day trades stole the thunder from first overall pick Steven Stamkos and his new team, the Tampa Bay Lightning. But in truth, no draft day transaction was more important than the Lightning's acquisition of Stamkos. He has the potential to step in immediately and contribute on the Lightning's second line, and with the likes of Vincent Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis, and Dan Boyle supporting him on the Lightning power play, an 80- or even 90-point season isn't out of the question.

#2: Doughty Headed for Hollywood

Widely considered to be most NHL-ready defenseman available in the draft, talented puck-moving rearguard Drew Doughty was the Kings' quarry with the second overall pick. Doughty has drawn some comparisons to Ray Bourque, and he--along with Jack Johnson, Thomas Hickey, and 13th overall pick Colton Teubert--should form the nucleus of one of the NHL's best blue line corps for the coming decade.

#3: Bogosian Bolsters Thrashers' Defense

The run on defensemen continued with the third overall pick, as the Atlanta Thrashers snagged Massena, NY native Zach Bogosian. A smooth skater with excellent puck-moving skills, many scouts actually had Bogosian ranked ahead of Doughty. Assuming they lock up RFA netminder Kari Lehtonen to a long-term deal, defense was without question the Thrashers' biggest area of need. Bogosian isn't as NHL-ready as Doughty, but could be ready to contribute on the Atlanta blue line as soon as the 2009-10 season.

#4: Pietrangelo Feeling the Blues

Another excellent rearguard went off the board at #4, as the St. Louis Blues selected King City, Ontario native Alex Pietrangelo. A big, strong backliner (6'3", 206 pounds) with elite-level skating ability, Pietrangelo has all the requisite tools, and could down the line turn out to be the finest defenseman taken in this draft.

#5: Leafs Move Up For Schenn

Hard-hitting backliner Luke Schenn went off the board next, making it four defensemen in a row. The Islanders originally had this pick, but decided to trade down after the trio of more complete rearguards were taken. Schenn has drawn favorable comparisons to Adam Foote, and should be a mainstay on the Leafs' blue line for many years to come.

#6: Filatov Heads for Columbus

Stamkos was the surest thing in this draft, but Nikita Filatov was a close second in terms of skilled forwards, and could ultimately emerge as the superior NHLer. Given the uncertainty of the NHL's transfer agreement with the IIHF, and given the precipitous fall of the US dollar's value on the world currency market, there was some serious concern about whether it would be possible to get Filatov under contract. But if he does cross the pond to follow his dream and play in the NHL, Filatov will be a very prescient pick by Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson.

Coyotes Acquire Jokinen

It was a poorly-kept secret that Olli Jokinen was on the trading block, and quite clear that a change of scenery was needed for the gritty, two-way Finnish center. Enter the Phoenix Coyotes, a talented team on the rise with a need for the scoring touch and leadership that Jokinen will provide. Look for the Coyotes to battle their way into the playoffs in 2008-09, while the rudderless Panthers will likely continue to struggle.

Cammalleri Moved in Three-Team Trade

Mike Cammalleri started the 2007-08 season like a house on fire, but injuries caused his production to dip precipitously in the second half. Thus, it came as little surprise when he was made available on draft day, moved to the Calgary Flames for the 17th overall pick. The Kings then packaged that pick along with the 28th overall pick in exchange for the 12th overall pick, which they used to select hard-hitting rearguard Colton Teubert. This should be a win-win trade, as the defense-deep Flames needed Cammalleri's scoring ability, while the forward-stocked Kings were able to use the pick to bolster their blue line.

Tanguay Headed for Quebec

Alex Tanguay wasn't a great fit on the Flames, certainly not with Mike Keenan running their bench. And after they acquired Cammalleri, the Flames felt comfortable parting with the skill forward, sending him to the Montreal Canadiens (along with a fifth round pick) in exchange for this year's 25th overall pick and the Habs' second round pick in 2009. Tanguay should give the Habs' offense a nice boost, and as long as he's not overwhelmed by the pressure of playing in his home province, will fit in nicely in the bleu, blanc, et rouge. With the 25th pick, the Flames landed center Greg Nemisz, a power forward who should fit in perfectly in Calgary.

Isles Trade Down Twice

This was widely considered to be a very deep draft, but it was also clear that the top six players were in a different league than those who followed. By trading down from the fifth overall pick, the Islanders missed out on the opportunity to draft dynamic Russian forward Nikita Filatov. If he develops into a superstar in the NHL, this will have unquestionably been a bad decision. But given the Isles' many organizational needs, getting two additional second round picks (Aaron Ness and Travis Hamonic) while still drafting the player they claimed they wanted most in round one (Josh Bailey) was a solid strategy implemented by GM Garth Snow. Now, time will tell whether they were right or wrong to pass on Filatov (and Schenn).

Senators Waive Emery

His first full season between the pipes for the Senators was stellar, Ray Emery backstopping Ottawa all the way to the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals. But the irascible Emery didn't get along particularly well with his teammates, and when he couldn't get his game back on track after a wrist injury sidelined him early in the season, it became apparent that a change of scenery was needed. No team stepped up to trade for Emery, so the Sens instead placed him on waivers, the first step towards buying him out of his contract. There should be considerable interest in the talented Emery when he becomes an unrestricted free agent, especially if it's concluded that the humbling experience he's currently going through will result in a necessary attitude adjustment.