NHL Free Agents 2012: Intriguing Second-Tier Options Teams Must Not Ignore

Sure, we all know that Ryan Suter and Zach Parise are the darlings of the NHL's 2012 free agency pool. But while they are the only elite players available, there are a slew of second-tier options fully capable of improving a team.

So which of those options are the most intriguing? Which players could have the biggest potential impact, could offer the most bang for the buck or have the ability to make a general manager either look like a genius or a total bum?

I've found three players that intrigue me in this 2012 free-agent class. Let's take a closer look.

Justin Schultz, D, Wisconsin

For teams looking to bolster their defense, add young talent and do both without breaking the bank, Schultz is the dream come true.

Schultz was drafted by the Ducks in 2008, but he has refused to sign with the team, meaning he'll become a free agent on July 1st if he doesn't have a deal. And his decision to sign with a team won't be about dollars and cents, as David Staples of EdmontonJournal.com points out:

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Of course, no team can offer any more money to Schultz than anyone else. They can all only offer the maximum contract for an entry level player, the type of deal that Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Taylor Hall got.

So it comes down to what team can offer the most playing time, will guarantee a job, and presents the best opportunity for Schultz to come in and thrive immediately.

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One team to watch in that regard would be the Philadelphia Flyers, in need of an upgrade defensively and already possessing a young core of talented players. The Red Wings will be very interested as well.

Oh, who am I kidding—the entire NHL will kick the tires on Schultz. He'll likely be able to choose his destination. He isn't an elite option just yet, but he's as tantalizing as either Suter or Parise will be, assuming he makes it to free agency.

Alexander Semin, RW, Washington Capitals

Semin is capable of netting 40 goals and 84 total points like he did in the 2010-11 season. He's also capable of far less, like the 54 points he's delivered the past two years.

In other words, he's the prototypical boom-or-bust free agent.

In the right system, Semin is an electric playmaker and could be the steal of this free agency class. And in a weak class for scoring forwards, Semin will attract the eye of many teams.

But a team that brings him in better be committed to his style of play and incorporate him more fully into the system than the Capitals did over the past two years. And they better be willing to accept his inconsistency and history of injuries.

If not, it's a safe bet that Semin won't be worth the big paycheck a team is sure to give him this summer.

Matt Carle, D, Philadelphia Flyers

After Suter, Jason Garrison—likely to return to the Florida Panthers—and Schultz, Carle is the most intriguing defensemen available. While the Flyers will want to agree to a deal before he hits free agency, Carle may be interested in dipping his toes into the free agency waters.

Carle is a solid two-way player and is 27, so he has a lot of good hockey left in him. While there isn't anything spectacular about his game, his weaknesses aren't overbearing either.

What makes him intriguing isn't his game—he's steady but certainly not a sexy player—but what teams would be willing to pay him on the market. With a lack of top-end talent across the board in free agency, Carle could demand a steep price once Suter, Garrison and Schultz are off the board.

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