2012 NHL Free Agents: The 5 Best Available Players at Every Position

With the free-agent frenzy just over a month away, teams are in the process of creating their strategies for improving their depth, or adding one of the top stars of this year's class.

With the teams eager to begin the journey towards next year's Stanley Cup Finals, free agency is the most immediate way to improve your team.

So which are the best players available at each position?

Center

5. Paul Gaustad - UFA:

Gaustad is one of the best defensive forwards on the market this offseason. He's great on faceoffs and is a big body that can kill penalties and occasionally score goals.

He's not a flashy player, but his presence on your team will make an immediate difference.

4. Jarrett Stoll - UFA:

Stoll's season wasn't exactly the most productive one from a statistics standpoint, but he is proving his worth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year.

Stoll has a couple of big goals for the Kings in this playoff run, and is capable of being a 50-point player while playing solid defense for his team as well.

3. Jason Arnott - UFA:

Arnott is long removed from the prime of his career, but he is still very valuable to NHL teams.

Yes, he's 37 years old, but he's still 6'5" and 220 pounds that can make life very difficult for opposing defenses.

He could be a great addition to a team that needs veteran leadership, as Arnott has seen it and done it all. Arnott should still be working in 2012 unless he decides to hang up the skates.

2. Sam Gagner - RFA:

Gagner has been playing very good hockey for the Edmonton Oilers in his early career, but hasn't really had the breakout year yet.

Gagner will most likely be re-signed by the Oilers since there are so few restricted free agents that are signed away from their teams today, but it would be a surprise if a few teams didn't look at trying to get this kid.

At just 22 years old, Gagner's potential is still huge.

1. Olli Jokinen - UFA:

Jokinen has had some success in the league, and showed this season that he can still be a top level forward with his 61 points in Calgary.

Jokinen, in the right situation, could crack 70 points again. He's underrated and might be one of the best second-line centers available.

Left Wings

5. Evander Kane - RFA:

Evander Kane is lower here because he is restricted, but shows up because of some of the drama that surrounded him earlier in the year.

Kane reportedly asked for a trade, which he was quick to deny (from The Winnpeg Free Press).

Might Kane want to get out of Winnipeg and away from the attention that goes with being a big-time player in a Canadian market? It's possible, but as a restricted free agent Kane may not be going anywhere.

4. Jiri Hudler - UFA:

Hudler is yet another example of how the Detroit Red Wings can not only find talent throughout the draft but develop it.

Hudler is a 50-point player that can provide great scoring depth for a team that needs a second-line winger.

Detroit could also easily re-sign Hudler and keep his talents around.

3. Ray Whitney - UFA:

40-year-old Ray Whitney showed that age is just a number while he put up a ton of numbers throughout this past season.

The 77 points he logged this season tied the second-largest output of his career. 

His age might be a bit of a red flag to teams looking to sign him, but Whitney showed he can still get it done and will likely earn a contract somewhere.

2. Ryan Smyth - UFA:

Ryan Smyth may be 36 years old, but he still makes his living going to the dirty areas and banging home the ugly goals.

The dilemma for Smyth is whether he wants to take another shot at the Stanley Cup or stay in Edmonton where he loves to play. 

1. Zach Parise - UFA:

No shock that Zach Parise tops the available left wingers as he is the prize of this year's free-agency class.

Parise has made a huge difference for the Devils in their magical run to the Stanley Cup Finals, and you had better believe that wherever he signs will get a boost as a result.

Scorer, solid defender, leader—Parise just does everything needed of him and he does it incredibly well.

Right Wing

5. David Jones - UFA:

Okay, okay, so maybe this might be a bit of a homer pick, but Jones has a big upside that many people haven't really seen.

He had trouble with injuries early in his career, but he seems to have overcome that and is entering his prime.

He's coming off back-to-back 20-goal seasons and is a good complementary player. His size allows him to be effective in the corners and in front of the net but what separates Jones from a lot of other big guys is his hands. 

Jones has great hands, especially in close to the net, and could be a 30-goal scorer if he found the right home. Personally, I hope he stays in Colorado.

4. Kris Versteeg - RFA:

Versteeg was a huge part of the Panthers' surprise run to their first division title in team history.

He's a restricted free agent, so the chances of him going anywhere aren't very high, but sometimes a team will come in with an offer that just can't be matched.

Versteeg's point production is just one positive thing about him. His Stanley Cup experience with Chicago and youth make him a prime target for any team.

3. Andrei Kostitsyn - UFA:

Kostitsyn may not have done himself any favors in free agency with his actions that earned him a team suspension during the playoffs, but he's got a lot of upside.

He's only 27, he's played on a team that is defense-first and score by committee, he's a very skilled player that could explode in the right situation. 

2. Alexander Semin - UFA:

Semin could never get out of the rumor mill while he was in Washington, and he definitely underperformed this year.  His seasons of 28 and 21 goals coming right after he scored 40 might make people a bit wary.

Bruce Boudreau even made Semin a healthy scratch leading up to his firing, so Semin could be considered a bit of a gamble.

He could also come into a new situation and find his scoring ways again, though it won't be for his current $6.7 million cap hit. 

1. Shane Doan - UFA:

Doan is getting up there in age and is one of the best players available that hasn't won a Stanley Cup.

He may feel some kind of loyalty to the Phoenix Coyotes since he has played his entire career in the desert, but he has to start questioning whether or not he will win a cup there.

Yes, the Coyotes did make it to the Western Conference Finals, but can they count on that same type of method working out like it did this year? I would say probably not.

Doan is a leader and still has a lot left in the tank. This may be the year that he goes elsewhere.

Defense

5. Michal Rozsival - UFA:

Rozsival is a solid, hard-hitting defenseman that is willing to give up his own body for his team, blocking 91 shots for the Coyotes this past season.

He's got a $5 million cap hit right now that isn't likely to change thanks to his solid play.

4. Mike Green - RFA:

Mike Green had to deal with some injuries this past season, but could still be a very attractive option for a team.

In his last full season, he was a Norris Trophy finalist that put up 76 points. His challenge since then has been staying healthy.

He might not get quite as large of a contract as he had been hoping for, but he'll get a shot to find that offensive touch of his. Whether or not that ends up being for the Capitals  remains to be seen.

3. Dennis Wideman - UFA:

Wideman had a great year with the Capitals this season, putting up close to 50 points from the blue line.

Wideman can give a team that extra element of a truly dangerous scoring defenseman that opens the ice up for the rest of the team.

2. Ryan Suter - UFA:

Ryan Suter is probably the top unrestricted defenseman on the market in this year's free-agency class.

He's a complete defender that can complete a team's top defensive pair. Suter may be the second-biggest free-agent on the market as a whole this summer.

It should be very interesting to see where he goes.

1. Shea Weber - RFA:

Still without a long-term contract with the Predators, Weber is the best defenseman on the market. Luckily for Nashville, Weber is a restricted free agent and can't just go wherever he wants.

Nashville has to try and figure out if they can get both Weber and Suter to come back, though that may not be financially possible.

After that, the Predators need to decide which player they want to hitch their cart to, and it will almost definitely be Weber. 

Goaltenders

5. Martin Biron - UFA

Biron starts off what is a very shallow goalie class in this year's free agency.

He's has been around the league and would basically just be a depth signing for a team that needs a veteran backup that can come in prepared whenever he's called upon.

There are no real starting possibilities for Biron.

4. Scott Clemmensen - UFA

Clemmensen has spent the majority of his career as a backup to other goalies. He's performed well over the years, and was very solid for the Panthers when they needed him this year, going 14-6-6 with a 2.57 GAA.

Clemmensen could possibly hold down a starting role if a team gave him a chance, but he is definitely a wild card.

No doubt that Clemmensen would make a great depth signing for a team that just needs a solid backup that can play 30 games or so a year.

3. Tuukka Rask - RFA:

Boston has a choice to make with their goalies. Tuukka Rask is a backup that is ready to take on a starting role, who currently sits behind Tim Thomas.

So Boston's choice is as follows: Stick it out for as much longer as Thomas can play and let Rask go his own way; or trade Thomas and go forward with the Rask era.

The team really could go either way, it's hard to tell.

2. Cory Schneider - RFA:

Cory Schneider sits right in the middle of a whole lot of drama that revolves around whether or not Roberto Luongo will actually be traded.

Schneider is ready to be an NHL starter, and the Canucks have to make a decision and another team could force that choice on Vancouver.

If a team signed Schneider to a big-enough offer sheet, the Canucks may be forced to let him go as either goalie would be way too expensive to be a back up.

1. Tomas Vokoun - UFA:

Last year, Tomas Vokoun was the prize of the goaltenders available and then became the steal of free agency.

Well, things didn't work out for Vokoun this season, but he's ready for another go at things. Vokoun could still be a good option for a team that needs a solid goalie for a playoff run.

Chicago comes to mind, but Toronto is another team that needs a goalie.