Washington Capitals trade Cody Eakin at NHL entry draft

Mike Ribeiro, acquired in a trade with the Dallas Stars during Friday night?s first round of the 2012 NHL entry draft, may fill the role of No. 2 centerman for the Washington Capitals.But he came at the cost of forward Cody Eakin, who produced 13 goals and 14 assists in 43 games with the Hershey Bears as a rookie in 2011-12.

The Caps sent Eakin and their second-round pick (No. 54) to Dallas in exchange for Ribeiro.

?We?ve got some big, gritty forwards,? Caps GM George McPhee said at a press conference broadcast on WashingtonCapitals.com. ?We just wanted to put another skilled guy in the middle of it to see if it helps. I think it makes our team immediately better today.

?He?s got skill. He makes plays.?

Eakin, who also had four goals and four assists in 30 games with Washington last season, might have made a run to stay up full-time with Washington in 2012-13. But, as summer free-agent season looms, his loss is a hit to Hershey?s theoretical forward depth right now.

?We gave up a real good kid in Cody,? McPhee said. ?He?s going to play a long time in this league. But, obviously, Ribeiro will come in and play much higher in the lineup right away.?

In a whirlwind day of NHL trades, the Caps also made two first-round picks at CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh, taking Swedish centerman Filip Forsberg at No. 11 and Plymouth (OHL) winger Tom Wilson at No. 16.

Forsberg was ranked the No. 2 prospect in the draft by The Hockey News and No. 3 by TSN, but he fell to No. 11 as eight defensemen went in the first 10 picks.

The 6-4, 195-pound power forward Wilson had 27 points and 141 penalty minutes in 49 games last season.

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes brokered a major trade. Pittsburgh sent Jordan Staal to Carolina for the No. 8 pick, 2007 first-rounder Brandon Sutter and Boston College defenseman Brian Dumoulin, a 2009 second-rounder.

Staal, who had one season remaining on his contract and turned down a contract extension offer by Pittsburgh, will get to play with his brother Eric in Carolina.

?I just felt, as an organization we felt, it was the right thing to do for Jordan,? Penguins GM Ray Shero said during the NBC Sports Network?s broadcast of the draft. ?He?s ready for an expanded role.?

With the No. 8 pick, Pittsburgh drafted Portland (WHL) defenseman Derrick Pouliot. At No. 22, the Penguins selected London (OHL) defenseman Olli Maatta.

The Philadelphia Flyers also made a big trade, sending goalie Sergei Bobrovsky to the Columbus Blue Jackets for second- and fourth-round picks in the 2012 draft and a 2013 fourth-rounder.

With the No. 20 pick, Philadelphia took Oshawa (OHL) centerman Scott Laughton.

Calgary Flames GM Jay Feaster, former general manager of the Bears, also made a trade. The Flames gave their No. 14 pick to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for a first-round pick (No. 21) and a second-rounder (No. 42).

At No. 21, Calgary selected high school centerman Mark Jankowski.

With the No. 1 overall pick, the Edmonton Oilers selected Sarnia (OHL) winger Nail Yakupov, a native of Russia.

NOTEBOOK

As a junior eligible, Eakin was a member of Hershey?s 2009-10 Calder Cup club, playing four regular-season games and five playoff games. He scored a goal on his first pro shot at Syracuse.

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