The NHL trade deadline for 2014 provided some decent fireworks, with several teams busying themselves with various deals throughout the day (as well as the few days leading up to the deadline). While a couple of teams ended up landing one big fish (Marty St. Louis for Ryan Callahan comes to mind), there were several organizations that either changed their lineup substantially or started the process of some kind of rebuild. Here are the teams that I feel changed the most, one way or the other, after the 2014 trade deadline. NHL 2014 has reflected these changes – and all the rest – in its most recent roster update.
 

Buffalo Sabres

Players Gained:
(F) Chris Stewart, (F) William Carrier, (F) Hudson Fasching, (F) Torrey Mitchell, (D) Nicolas Deslauriers, (D) Rostislav Klesla, (G) Michal Neuvirth

Players Lost:
(F) Steve Ott, (F) Matt Moulson, (F) Cody McCormick, (F) Jonathan Parker, (D) Brayden McNabb,
(G) Jaroslav Halak, (G) Ryan Miller

With 14 players coming or going from the Sabres, as well as some draft picks moving both directions, Buffalo has horded a ton of assets in exchange for some of their most coveted players. While it may pain hardcore Sabres fans to see the likes of Matt Moulson, Steve Ott and Ryan Miller taking the train out of town, they find themselves with a lot of possible upside, including a first-round pick in 2015. They even found the time for some fireworks for goalies not named Ryan Miller, as they flipped Jaroslav Halak for Michal Neuvirth.

In Neuvirth, the Sabres get back a young goalie with some decent upside, and he played incredibly well in his first game for the Sabres, even in a losing effort. Chris Stewart is on a bit of a downswing recently, but he's a player capable of excellent point totals, and he's only 26. He's a nod to Buffalo's future possibilities. In Torrey Mitchell, Buffalo gets an NHL-capable depth winger/center who can provide some stability for the franchise's bottom six forwards.

St. Louis Blues

Players Gained:
(F) Steve Ott, (F) Eric Selleck, (G) Ryan Miller

Players Lost:
(F) Mark Mancari, (F) Chris Stewart, (F) William Carrier, (G) Jaroslav Halak

Buffalo's loss was the Blues' gain, as St. Louis finds themselves even more dangerous than they were before the deadline. Considering what they got rid of and what they got in return, I'd be scared to tangle with St. Louis come playoff time. Steve Ott instantly brings a great deal of edge and leadership to the Blues squad, and Ryan Miller is undeniably a top-10 goalie in the world, if not higher. He's already shown what he can do for St. Louis, going 4-0-0 with a 1.50 GAA and a .933 save percentage. Clearly, Ryan wanted out of Buffalo. Ott's had a quieter start for the Blues, but a lot of what he brings is of the intangible variety.

Florida Panthers

Players Gained:
(F) Mark Mancari, (F) Brandon Pirri, (F) Steven Anthony, (G) Roberto Luongo, (G) Dan Ellis

Players Lost:
(F) Marcel Goc, (F) Shawn Matthias, (F) Eric Selleck, (G) Tim Thomas, (G) Jacob Markstrom

Florida was fairly busy during and just before trade deadline 2014, bringing in a possibly solid youngster in Brandon Pirri as well as Mark Mancari, who has done great things in the AHL while not quite breaking through in the bigs. Of course, the real haul for Florida was beaming Roberto Luongo back to the mothership, as well as backup Dan Ellis. It's only fitting that Bobby Lu ends up going back to Florida, as that's where he's made his off-season home all this time. Vancouver originally fleeced the Panthers to get him years ago, and now Florida gets to return the favor.

Luongo instantly makes the Panthers a better team, but probably not quite a contender. It's interesting seeing the organization get rid of Jacob Markstrom and Tim Thomas, but this clearly sends the signal that Luongo is the unquestioned starter, and Ellis serves as a competent backup. Then again, it seems Tim Thomas has focused his displeasure in Dallas just fine, helping them get a shutout in his first game there.

Vancouver Canucks

Players Gained:
(F) Shawn Matthias, (F) Jeff Costello, (G) Jacob Markstrom

Players Lost:
(F) Steven Anthony, (D) Patrick Mullen, (G) Roberto Luongo

While the Canucks only made a couple of moves, it's a set of transactions that looks to change the organization forever. Losing Luongo means the end of the bizarre odyssey that was his time in Vancouver, and it hands the reigns over to young Eddie Lack as well as Jacob Markstrom – a scary proposition. Shawn Matthias is a decent third-line player who may get a chance to shine a bit more in Vancouver's system, but it's unlikely that the benefits of that acquisition will seen until Vancouver makes the rest of its inevitable moves in the off-season.

The other big story for the Canucks was Ryan Kesler, the team's other franchise player. There were many suitors for the talented two-way forward, but it sounds like ownership got involved and prevented GM Mike Gillis from making a trade. As it stands, Kesler goes into Luongo Limbo, waiting for a trade he clearly wants, which will likely happen in the next few months.

Los Angeles Kings

Players Gained:
(F) James Livingston, (F) Marian Gaborik, (F) Jonathan Parker, (D) Brayden McNabb

Players Lost:
(F) Hudson Fasching, (F) Matt Frattin, (D) Nicolas Deslauriers

Los Angeles made a few interesting moves, the most obvious of which is the acquisition of Marian Gaborik from Columbus. Gaborik will likely try to rediscover himself in LA, as Columbus just hasn't worked out (recently he's had to deal with a broken collarbone). The high-flying Kings should give him the chance to stretch his legs a bit. The other players acquired by LA will help provide some depth for their minor-league squads as well as bolster any roster issues come playoff time. Losing Matt Frattin isn't much of a blow for the organization, as he's somebody who just hasn't found his niche in the league yet. I actually like the pickup of defender Brayden McNabb, as he can log decent minutes and has been good in the minors. At 23 years of age, he's ready to at least be a sixth or seventh d-man at the NHL level.