2012 NHL Entry Draft: What Each Team Will Be Looking for

The 2012 NHL draft is only a few months away, and for many teams who have no shot at making the Stanley Cup playoffs this season, preparation for the draft has already begun.

There are many spectacular prospects in this draft, several of whom could become stars or even superstar players for many years.

Each team has a need in this draft, so let's look at what each NHL squad will be looking for in the upcoming draft.

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Nicholas Goss is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report

Anaheim Ducks: Scoring Depth

The Anaheim Ducks need more scoring from their bottom three lines, and with some aging forwards on those lines too, finding a proven goal scorer will be a top priority for the Ducks in the draft.

The team may look at selecting a goaltender as well.

Boston Bruins: Sniper

Other than Tyler Seguin, the Boston Bruins don't have an elite sniper that has exquisite shot accuracy.

In this draft, the Bruins need to find a sniper type player for the future.

On defense and between the pipes, they have enough depth for several years down the road.

Buffalo Sabres: Center Depth

Right now the Buffalo Sabres need a top-line center, and they will certainly be looking for one at this year's trading deadline.

However, even if they find one at the deadline, the Sabres still need more quality depth at center, which they need to address in the draft.

Calgary Flames: Defense and Goaltending

If the Calgary Flames fall out of the playoff race, they may decide to trade veteran defenseman Jay Bouwmeester and/or goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff.

Even if that doesn't happen, the team still needs another quality blueliner and a goalie for the future.

Carolina Hurricanes: Top 6 Forward

The Carolina Hurricanes are really bad this season and have little scoring and offensive talent outside of Eric Staal and Jeff Skinner.

They will certainly get a top 10 draft pick and need to make sure they select the best goal-scoring forward available.

Chicago Blackhawks: All-Around Forward

The Chicago Blackhawks have a ton of offensive talent and goal-scoring ability, but one thing they could use on their forward lines is a little more defensive quality.

Drafting a forward with defensive ability would be a bonus to the Blackhawks organization.

Colorado Avalanche: Scorer

The Colorado Avalanche have a great young roster with so much potential, and adding a scorer, preferably a winger, would really help their team next season.

The Avalanche are only a few pieces away from being a real threat to claim the 6-8 playoff seeds in the Western Conference next season.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Goaltending

Goaltending problems have really devastated the Columbus Blue Jackets for much of their brief existence, and while the team may not take a goalie with their first-round pick, they have to make sure they draft one in the early rounds.

Dallas Stars: Defensive Defenseman

The Dallas Stars have a number of quality offensive players, but one thing they do not have is a top defenseman and a shutdown-caliber blue liner.

The Stars need to address their lack of talent on defense to get to the next level.

Detroit Red Wings: Defensive Depth

The Detroit Red Wings have some really outstanding young offensive prospects, so I think leaning toward a defenseman early in the draft would be a smart idea for the Red Wings.

The team needs a player who can step up and perform well when veterans Nicklas Lidstrom and Nicklas Kronwall are no longer elite players.

Edmonton Oilers: Defensive Depth

After spending the last two No. 1 overall picks on top offensive prospects Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, the Edmonton Oilers need to turn their attention to building some strong defensive depth.

The Oilers need both an offensive- and defensive-minded blueliner.

Florida Panthers: Defensive Depth

The Florida Panthers have some quality NHL scorers like Kris Versteeg, but they need some more defensive depth to help their young goaltenders.

Adding a stud defenseman in this deep draft could help make the Panthers a perennial playoff team going forward.

Los Angeles Kings: Trade Picks for Proven Talent

The Los Angeles Kings don't have a ton of needs, and quite honestly they are better off chasing a Stanley Cup now than building through the draft.

They should trade some of their picks for proven NHL talent that will help the team win right now.

Minnesota Wild: Defensive Defenseman

The Minnesota Wild need defenseman who can be a top-pairing guy for a long time.

The team has lots of talent at every level of the organization, but they need a potential shutdown defenseman if they are to be a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.

Montreal Canadiens: Everything Except Goaltending

Carey Price is a tremendous goaltender and should lead the Montreal Canadiens for a long time, but he needs some support on offense and defense.

The Canadiens need a real power forward and a defenseman with shutdown ability.

There are several needs for Montreal as they look to rebuild for another run of success.

Nashville Predators: Scorers

The Nashville Predators are a top defensive team who relies on strong play in its own end and elite goaltending to win games.

However, they must add more scoring talent to become a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.

They can do that in this draft.

New Jersey Devils: Goaltending

Martin Brodeur may return to the New Jersey Devils next season, but even if he does, the team still needs to find a goaltender of the future to take over for the legend when he retires.

If star winger and captain Zach Parise leaves the team either through trade or free agency, then the Devils will need wing depth in this draft, too.

New York Islanders: Goaltending

The New York Islanders have once again lost Rick DiPietro to injury and will likely turn to veteran Evgeni Nabokov for the rest of the season.

The Islanders still need to find a goalie that can lead them for the future, because Nabokov is not that guy.

New York Rangers: Left Wing Depth

The New York Rangers may address their depth issues at left wing before February's trading deadline, but even if they do, the team still needs left wing depth in the draft.

Overall, there are not too many weaknesses in the Rangers organization.

Ottawa Senators: Goaltending and Scoring Depth

The Ottawa Senators have been impressive this season and will likely make the Stanley Cup playoffs.

In the draft, the team needs to address some issues of goaltending depth and the lack of reliable goal scorers.

Philadelphia Flyers: Defensive Depth

Chris Pronger, Kimmo Timonen and many other Philadelphia Flyers defenseman are either injury-prone or aging, so the team really needs to add some depth on the blue line in the upcoming draft, regardless of whether they address this need before the trading deadline.

Phoenix Coyotes: Scoring Depth

The Phoenix Coyotes need some young scoring talent because they don't have enough young offensive players that can lead the club to the playoff each season.

Aging stars like Shane Doan and Ray Whitney will need to be replaced in the top six forwards spots soon.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Offensive Defenseman

The Pittsburgh Penguins need more offense from their defensemen, so finding a puck-moving blueliner who can score is something the team needs to look for in the upcoming draft.

Kris Letang is the team's only reliable offensive defenseman.

San Jose Sharks: Scoring Depth

The San Jose Sharks have a lot of veteran offensive talent and need to find some more young goal-scorers like they did with Logan Couture.

Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau will not be elite players for many more seasons.

St. Louis Blues: Defensive Depth

The St. Louis Blues need more defensive depth at the NHL level, and the draft is one way to help that organizational weakness.

The Blues have a number of talented offensive prospects, so now it's time to turn to building their defensive depth.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Goaltending

The Tampa Bay Lightning are not a playoff-caliber team this season because their goaltending is so weak.

The club has a ton of offensive firepower, but their lack of consistent goaltending has really held them back this season.

With a strong goaltender, this team is a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Size and Center Depth

The Toronto Maple Leafs are so close to being a playoff-caliber team, and unfortunately, because of the Phil Kessel trade with the Boston Bruins, they have not been able to build their organization with top 10 picks the past two seasons.

In this year's draft, the Maple Leafs need to target some playmaking centers and some forwards with great size and strength.

Vancouver Canucks: Power Forward, Gritty Defenseman

The Vancouver Canucks are a fantastically skilled team, but they need some more strength and grit in their lineup. Two areas they can target in the draft are power forward and a strong defenseman who has good size.

Washington Capitals: Sniper, Scoring Forward

The Washington Capitals need more reliable goal scorers, because stars Alexander Ovechkin and Alexander Semin have not given the team the offense needed this season.

With Semin likely to depart in free agency, the Capitals need to add scoring in the draft.

Winnipeg Jets: Offensive Defenseman

The Winnipeg Jets should add some scoring depth through this year's draft, but selecting an offensive defenseman in the early rounds would be a good idea, too.

This draft class is full of quality defenseman who can put the puck in the net and be effective power-play quarterbacks.