NHL Free Agents: Each Team's Biggest Need Heading into 2012-13 Season

Every NHL team has several needs going into free agency, whether you made the playoffs or finished with one of the worst records in the league.

When July 1 arrives and free agency begins, expect a lot of depth players to sign early since there's a lot of solid veterans in this year's class.

Let's look at the biggest need for each team going into next season.

Anaheim Ducks: A Top Pairing Defenseman

The Anaheim Ducks need another top pairing defenseman because they don't have good enough goaltending to make the playoffs right now.

The Ducks finished 19th in goals allowed per game this season and must add talent to their blueline.

Boston Bruins: Power Play Help

The Boston Bruins power play was abysmal during the playoffs, and their lack of a power-play specialist on defense or at forward really cost them.

Adding a top-six forward with power-play skills should be a priority for Boston in the summer.

Buffalo Sabres: Clear Salary Cap Space

The Buffalo Sabres spend a lot of money last year in free agency, and most of it was poor spending. If they can move some bad contracts and free up salary cap space, they will be better off next season and in the future.

Calgary Flames: Start Rebuilding

The Calgary Flames need help in so many areas, but don't have the salary cap space needed to improve the team enough.

The best move for the franchise would be to start rebuilding and trading veterans like Jarome Iginla away for prospects.

Carolina Hurricanes: Top-Line Winger

The Carolina Hurricanes have a great amount of salary cap space to take advantage of this summer and cannot afford to sit back and not be aggressive.

Adding a superstar player is a must this offseason for Carolina, who need help in nearly every area except goaltending.

Chicago Blackhawks: More Defensive Talent

With Corey Crawford still under contract and not a lot of salary cap space to work with, I cannot see the Chicago Blackhawks making a major move for a goalie without trading one of their high-priced forwards.

With that said, signing a quality defenseman to address the team's needs on the blueline would be a smart move.

Colorado Avalanche: Top Pairing Defenseman

With a lot of good young talent on offense, the Colorado Avalanche would make the playoffs next season if they add an elite defenseman in free agency or through trade.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Trade Rick Nash

The Columbus Blue Jackets need to improve in every area imaginable, so trading superstar winger Rick Nash is the best way to acquire prospects and NHL-ready talent to start building a playoff contender.

Dallas Stars: No. 1 Defenseman

Finding a top defenseman would be a real boost for the Dallas Stars, who are one quality blueliner away from a playoff spot.

They already have the offense needed to make the postseason.

Detroit Red Wings: Ryan Suter

The Detroit Red Wings can significantly improve their blueline and hurt a division rival at the same time if they sign elite defenseman Ryan Suter away from the Nashville Predators.

Edmonton Oilers: More Talent on Defense

The one thing holding the Edmonton Oilers back right now is an elite defenseman who can shut down opposing team's best offensive players.

If the Oilers were able to sign Ryan Suter in free agency, they would be close to a playoff spot. If they can't do that, trading the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 NHL draft to get a defenseman would be a smart idea.

Florida Panthers: Keep Kris Versteeg

Kris Versteeg proved he can be a top-line NHL player this season, and the Florida Panthers would be foolish to let him leave when he's still young and improving.

As a restricted free agent, there's no excuse for the Panthers to lose Versteeg this summer.

Los Angeles Kings: Defensive Depth

The Los Angeles Kings look like the Stanley Cup favorites right now, but one area they should add some depth in over the summer is on defense.

If they can do this, the Kings could be one of the best teams in the NHL next season.

Minnesota Wild: No. 1 Defenseman

The Minnesota Wild have enough offense if everyone's healthy, but they don't have the talent on defense needed to make the playoffs, especially when their goaltending is inconsistent.

Finding a top-caliber defenseman in the summer should be a priority for the Wild.

Montreal Canadiens: Trade Scott Gomez

The sooner the Montreal Canadiens can trade Scott Gomez, the better. He gives them almost no offensive production even when healthy.

A change of scenery would really help Gomez, and a team needing to reach the salary cap floor might be willing to acquire him.

Nashville Predators: Convince Shea Weber and Ryan Suter to Re-Sign

The Nashville Predators are about to enter the biggest offseason for a team in recent memory. Their two best players are free agents, and both would be better served leaving because the team doesn't have enough offense to win a Stanley Cup.

General manager David Poile has to convince both Ryan Suter and Shea Weber that the Predators can win the Stanley Cup soon, but I can't see that happening.

New Jersey Devils: Keep Zach Parise

As a young superstar with immense offensive talent, Zach Parise will get calls from many teams during free agency.

He will want to sign with a Stanley Cup contender this summer, and I don't think the New Jersey Devils are one of those teams, regardless of their playoff success this season.

New York Islanders: A Top-Pairing Defenseman

Adding a top-pairing defenseman through free agency would give the New York Islanders a legitimate chance to make the playoffs next season in the Eastern Conference.

New York Rangers: Pure Goal Scorer

The New York Rangers don't have enough pure scoring talent at forward and need to add a top-six forward who can be relied on to provide offense consistently.

Acquiring Rick Nash by trade or Zach Parise in free agency would satisfy this need.

Ottawa Senators: Top-Six Forward

The Ottawa Senators would be smart to look for another top-tier forward in free agency that can score goals consistently.

Their lack of goal scoring against the Rangers in the playoffs was a real problem.

Philadelphia Flyers: Ryan Suter

Ryan Suter would solve the Philadelphia Flyers woes on defense, which began when captain Chris Pronger was lost for the season because of post-concussion symptoms.

Adding a player of Suter's caliber would make the Flyers one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference next season.

Phoenix Coyotes: Elite Defenseman

The Phoenix Coyotes have a few talented young defensemen in Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Keith Yandle, but they need another physical presence on the blueline to disrupt power forwards like Dustin Brown and Mike Richards of the Los Angeles Kings.

Pittsburgh Penguins: A Shutdown Defenseman

The lack of a shutdown defenseman was a big problem for the Pittsburgh Penguins in their first-round playoff series loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.

They had no one to stop the Flyers offense on a consistent basis and must add a physical defenseman in free agency or through trade.

San Jose Sharks: Trade Patrick Marleau

Patrick Marleau's repeated playoff failures cannot be accepted any longer in San Jose. The Sharks need to trade him and sign a player who can be counted on to score goals in important situations. 

Rick Nash or Zach Parise would be an ideal fit in San Jose.

St. Louis Blues: An Elite Offensive Player

The St. Louis Blues lack a reliable scorer in their lineup, so signing a talented offensive free agent like Alexander Semin or Zach Parise this summer could be the move that makes the team a top Stanley Cup contender next season.

Tampa Bay Lightning: No. 1 Goaltender

It's obvious that the Tampa Bay Lightning need to find a capable starting goaltender so they can return to the playoffs next season. Trading for Roberto Luongo or a young backup must be the franchise's top priority this summer.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Top-Tier Power Forward

Brian Burke wants his Maple Leafs team to play more physical, but he doesn't have many players on the roster that excel playing that kind of style.

He must find a top power forward in free agency or through trade to make the Leafs a tougher team to play against.

Vancouver Canucks: Top-Tier Goal Scorer

With a top-six forwards group that isn't young and has battled injuries recently, the Canucks need to find a young scorer who can be relied on to provide offense consistently. 

The Canucks should be bold and make a run at signing Zach Parise in free agency.

Washington Capitals: Top-Six Forward

I think star winger Alexander Semin will leave the Washington Capitals in the summer, but even if he doesn't, the Capitals will need to find a top-six forward to add more offense to the club.

Washington didn't score enough in the playoffs to be a legitimate Stanley Cup threat.

Winnipeg Jets: An Elite Offensive Player

The Winnipeg Jets have only one top-six forward with the ability to dominate offensively, and that's Evander Kane.

Adding another top goal scorer would give the Jets enough firepower to make the playoffs next season.