Collingwood are the big winners, with pick 11 in the national draft headed the Magpies' way after Dale Thomas defected to Carlton.
However premiers Hawthorn will have to settle for pick 19 despite losing one of the biggest superstars in the AFL when Lance Franklin was lured to the Sydney Swans.
Under the current system, compensation picks fall after a club's pick in the draft order.
Franklin was graded as equal to a first-round pick, but the Hawks won the flag and traded their only first-round pick (18) to St Kilda in a deal that landed them Ben McEvoy, meaning they will enter the draft later than any other club.
It is the second year in a row the Hawks would have every right to feel ripped off with free agency compensation, after they received no compensation for losing premiership wingman Clinton Young to Collingwood last year.
Melbourne were granted selection 23 to offset Colin Sylvia's departure to Fremantle and St Kilda were handed pick 25 after Nick Dal Santo joined North Melbourne.
If Franklin played for Melbourne and Colin Sylvia for Hawthorn, the compensation picks would have been pick three for Franklin and selection 38 for Sylvia.
Carlton won't receive compensation after losing Eddie Betts, as they gained Thomas from the Pies.
Hawthorn were not compensated for losing Xavier Ellis to West Coast because of the 25-year-old's age and poor recent form.
The same ruling applied to former Richmond utility Matthew White who joined Port Adelaide.
The AFL will review free agency, including the compensation selections, after this year's trade period.