2012 NHL Free Agents: Zach Parise and Biggest Names Available This Summer

The New Jersey Devils opted not to trade away their star scorer and captain, but keeping Zach Parise in Newark is going to be extremely difficult this summer.

The 27-year-old American is in the prime of his career and is a proven 30-plus goal scorer. He wants to paid, but more than anything he wants to be able to regularly compete for a Stanley Cup.

Unfortunately, the Devils don't have the means to offer that—financially or competitively, to be exact.

The winger will listen to the only team he's ever known, but he has undeniable roots up north in Minnesota, and it will be hard for him to turn down any bigger deals to play with the likes of the Wild or possibly the Red Wings in Detroit.

In a summer lacking elite talent, Parise leads the charge of big names available.

Ryan Suter

Suter, a 27-year-old defender, is a top-notch talent who will command No. 1 defenseman money. The former No. 7 overall pick in 2003 will be heavily courted by his current team, but the Nashville Predators won't be the only ones chasing him down.

The American is entering the prime of his career and is good enough to completely neutralize an opponent's No. 1 scorer.

Teams don't just see the opportunity to grab a rising star, but they see the opportunity to grab someone they can build their defense around for years to come.

Ray Whitney

The 39-year-old Canadian proved he's still a 70-plus point player in his old age. Unlike Parise and Suter, who are in the prime of their careers, Whitney is past it but still performing at an extremely high level.

Playing on his seventh career team, the veteran will actually command a few big bucks and Arizona may not be able to afford him.

He's not a long-term solution for anyone, but he is an extremely intriguing free-agent option.