Ryan Miller and Steve Ott are going from the NHL's worst team to a bona fide Stanley Cup contender after being traded by the Sabres to the Central Division-leading Blues in a five-player, two-draft-pick deal Friday night.

"It's definitely humbling and flattering that they would make that kind of move and bring us in with the intention of giving them some help to push for a Stanley Cup," Miller said.

The Blackhawks acquired defenseman Brian Connelly from the Wild in exchange for forward Brad Winchester on Wednesday.

Connelly, 27, had five goals and 27 assists for the Iowa Wild of the AHL this season. 

The Blue Jackets have acquired forward Carter Camper from the Bruins in exchange for defenseman Blake Parlett, club GM Jarmo Kekalainen announced today. Camper, 25, has been assigned to the AHL’s Springfield Falcons.

Camper has appeared in 171 career AHL games with the Providence Bruins, tallying 128 points on 37 goals and 128 assists. The center has also skated in three career NHL games with Boston, recording 1-0-1 and 14 face-off wins.

Prior to turning pro, Camper spent four seasons with the Miami University RedHawks (CCHA) from 2007-11. 

Parlett, 24, has recorded 4-14-18 and 22 penalty minutes in 37 games played with the Falcons this season. Columbus acquired the defenseman on April 3, 2013 as part of a multiplayer trade with the Rangers.

The Blackhawks acquired forwards Peter Regin and Pierre-Marc Bouchard from the Islanders for a 2014 fourth-round draft pick Thursday.

Regin will join the Blackhawks, and Bouchard will report to the Rockford IceHogs of the AHL. 

The Islanders will retain 50 percent of Regin's and Bouchard's contracts, a source told ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun. Both players will be unrestricted free agents after the season.

The Kings have acquired right wing Steve Quailer from the Canadiens in exchange for forward Robert Czarnik, Kings President/GM Dean Lombardi announced.  Quailer is expected to report to the Kings’ AHL affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs.

Quailer, 24, has been with the Canadiens organization since that club selected him in the third-round (86th overall) of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.  He has played for the Hamilton Bulldogs the past two seasons after playing at Northeastern U.  from 2008-09 to 2011-12.
 
Czarnik, selected by the Kings in the third round (63rd overall) of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, has recorded five points (1-4=5) and 16 penalty minutes in 29 games with the Monarchs this season. The 24-year-old native of Detroit is in his third professional season.

The Blue Jackets have acquired forward Paul Thompson from the Penguins in exchange for forward Spender Machacek, club GM Jarmo Kekalainen announced today. Thompson, 25, has been assigned to the AHL’s Springfield Falcons.

Thompson has scored 35 goals and dished out 29 assists for 64 points in 170 career AHL games with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins. 

Prior to turning pro, Thompson spent four seasons (2007-11) at the U. of New Hampshire. The forward recorded 57-55-112 during his 140-game NCAA career. He was named Hockey East’s Player of the Year in 2010-11 after leading the conference in scoring with 28-24-52 in 39 games played for the Wildcats.

Machacek, 25, has recorded 9-10-19 in 34 games with the Falcons this season. Atlanta’s first pick, 67th overall, at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, Machacek has tallied 2-7-9 in 25 career NHL games with the Jets/Thrashers franchise and 107-151-258 in 393 career AHL games with Springfield, Chicago and St. John’s. 

The Canadiens have traded defenseman Raphael Diaz to the Canucks for forward Dale Weise, according to an ESPN.com report.

The 28-year-old Diaz had 11 assists and 12 penalty minutes in 46 games for the Canadiens this season.