NHL Free Agents: One Player Each Team Should Let Walk

The NHL's free agency period is a great time for everyone involved for a multitude of reasons. Not only can teams sign impact players but a team can finally trim the fat and cut some of their dead weight. 

Not every player deserves a contract extension so this slideshow will look at some of the players that each team should let walk. If a team already cut the player in question, an explanation will be provided. Likewise, if a team re-signed a player that should have been cut, a reason will also be provided.

Without further adieu, here are some of the players each team should let walk.

Anaheim Ducks: Jason Blake

Jason Blake is getting older and at age 38 he is no longer as effective as he used to be. Letting Blake walk is a wise move for the Ducks because it frees up a roster spot that could be filled by a prospect like Kyle Palmieri.

Boston Bruins: Brian Rolston

Brian Rolston was a decent trade deadline acquisition for the Bruins, but he isn't in their long-term plans. By dumping Rolston, the Bruins will have the flexibility to retain their major free agents and bank some cap space away for the future.

Buffalo Sabres: Brad Boyes

The Buffalo Sabres made the right decision in letting Brad Boyes go to free agency. Boyes made $4.0 million a year and his production didn't justify that contract let alone a new deal all together.

With the Sabres looking to add some more offense this summer, dumping Boyes' contract allowed them to explore other options and they could make some more deals before the summer ends.

Carolina Hurricanes: Jaroslav Spacek

The Carolina Hurricanes re-acquired Joe Corvo and the team currently has six defenseman in the fold under contract. Jaroslav Spacek is a defender the Hurricanes could let walk because of his age, production and cap hit.

With Joni Pitkanen, Joe Corvo, Tim Gleason, Jamie McBain, Justin Faulk and Jay Harrison on the team, the Hurricanes could stand to let Spacek go, and sign a cheaper and more durable defender.

Calgary Flames: Olli Jokinen

Olli Jokinen had a solid bounce-back season and the Calgary Flames made the right choice in letting him test the free-agency market. 

The Winnipeg Jets overpaid because they really needed a center. The Flames went on to sign Dennis Wideman with some of the money that would have ended up going to Jokinen.

Chicago Blackhawks: Cristobal Huet

The former starting netminder for the Blackhawks is finally a free agent and the Hawks dumped his contract.

Although he hasn't counted against the salary cap the past few years, the Blackhawks have still paid him a lot of money.

Huet is now 36 years old and will hit the market, but will there be a team out there that's willing to sign him?

Colorado Avalanche: Peter Mueller

Peter Mueller is an offensive player who is inconsistent and often injured. He didn't play in the 2010-11 season and he played only in 32 games during the 2011-12 season.

Mueller may not have many offers but if he can remain healthy, he could be a diamond in the rough signing.

Columbus Blue Jackets: Kristian Huselius

Kristian Huselius is another offensive player who is an injury liability. He hasn't been cleared medically yet and is still a free agent. Once he is cleared, the Blue Jackets should cut him loose. He will have some suitors but any deal would be low cost.

Dallas Stars: Radek Dvorak

Dvorak was once a talented mid-level player but has now regressed to a 20-point player with limited minutes. Dvorak was making $1.5 million, and 21 points a season is not a great return for the Stars.

For that reason, Dvorak will not be back in Dallas next season especially after the additions of Ray Whitney and Jaromir Jagr.

Detroit Red Wings: Ty Conklin

The Detroit Red Wings signed Jonas Gustavsson to back up Jimmy Howard. Letting Ty Conklin go is the right thing to do because he put up paltry numbers and it isn't wise to carry three goalies at one time.

Edmonton Oilers: Chris VandeVelde

Chris VandeVelde is a RFA who the Edmonton Oilers should let go. He is a player who played well in the NCAA, but he failed to have an impact on the AHL level. With the Oilers roster of young players, the chances of him cracking the lineup in the future are slim to none.

Florida Panthers: Wojtek Wolski

Wojtek Wolski was acquired in a trade with the New York Rangers and didn't have much of an impact. He is a restricted free agent, and in order to retain his services the Panthers would have to sign him to a qualifying offer.

The Panthers should let Wolski hit free agency and search for a team willing to take a chance on him, because he isn't a player worth keeping.

Los Angeles Kings: Scott Parse

Scott Parse played in nine games last season. He isn't very consistent or physical and does not bring enough to the table to earn a contract.

The Kings have tons of forwards and have already locked up most of their other key players from the Stanley Cup run and Parse unfortunately is not one of those players.

Minnesota Wild: Erik Christensen

The Minnesota Wild were wise to let Erik Christensen sign with HC Lev Praha of the KHL.

Christensen is a shootout specialist who has offensive creativity, but is very inconsistent and didn't bring enough to the table to warrant his re-signing.

Montreal Canadiens: Chris Campoli

Chris Campoli made just under $2.0 million in 2011-12 and only played 43 games. He scored 11 points and is a free agent. The market is not very big for Campoli but he is a player that the Canadiens should not re-sign.

Nashville Predators: Alex Radulov

Alexander Radulov returned to the NHL amongst controversy and Nashville was smart to try and trade his NHL rights before he bolted to the KHL.

Radulov returned to the NHL in order to fulfill the last year of his ELC. However, he created controversy when he missed curfew during the playoffs and was suspended by the team for two games.

If Radulov ever comes back to the NHL, he wont be a Predator.

New Jersey Devils: Eric Boulton

The New Jersey Devils bought out Eric Boulton so he technically wasn't a free agent. Nonetheless, he was an enforcer who didn't bring a lot to the table so New Jersey decided to cut him loose.

New York Islanders: John Grahame

John Grahame was a solid depth signing as an emergency backup when the Islanders went through some goaltending injuries last season. There is no reason to bring him back because there are younger and more talented goaltenders the Islanders can call up.

New York Rangers: Ruslan Fedotenko

After signing Taylor Pyatt, there was no point in re-signing veteran Ruslan Fedotenko. Fedotenko was once a solid secondary scorer with the Tampa Bay Lightning, but he was a veteran grinder on the Rangers. His penalty kill skills and leadership qualities made him valuable but his time in New York was up.

Ottawa Senators: Zenon Konopka

Zenon Konopka was a big face-off taker for the Ottawa Senators against the New York Rangers in the first round of the playoffs.

He was making minimal money and the Minnesota Wild were willing to pay a decent amount for a grinder and face-off specialist considering how important face-offs are in the playoffs.

The Senators were not smart to budge on their offer for Konopka because he can be easily replaced.

Philadelphia Flyers: Blair Betts

Blair Betts did not suit up for a game during the 2011-12 season. The Philadelphia Flyers are stocked with a bevy of young forwards so retaining Betts for the longterm is not a wise move considering his injury history,

Phoenix Coyotes: Michal Rozsival

Michal Rozsival was acquired in a deal for Wojtek Wolski last season. Rozsival is an average and overpaid defenseman who Phoenix would be wise to drop on the market. 

Rozsival will likely be picked up by a team needing a veteran right handed defenseman but he has no business making $5.0 million a year.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Brent Johnson

Brett Johnson is no longer needed in Pittsburgh because the Penguins signed Tomas Vokoun to back up Marc-Andre Fleury. Johnson is a decent goalie but the Pens wanted someone with more experience and reliability to make spot starts when Fleury needs a rest.

San Jose Shark: Dominic Moore

Dominic Moore was a mid-season pickup for the Sharks, but he didn't perform as well as some of the other players San Jose added. It is understandable because after the season it was announced that Moore's wife was going through some health problems.

Nonetheless, opting to not re-sign Moore would make tons of sense for San Jose considering their depth at center.

St.Louis Blues: Chris Stewart

Chris Stewart made $3.25 million last season and contributed 30 points. He was re-signed by the Blues for two years and $3.0 million per season.

In my opinion, his production didn't warrant a new contract. There was not enough of a contribution from Stewart considering how much he is paid. 

If he doesn't live up to his contract he likely will go back on the trading block.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Dwayne Roloson

Dwayne Roloson had a magical run for the Lightning during the 2011 playoffs but came back down to earth this season. 

The Lightning drafted Andrei Vasilevski in the first round, traded for Anders Lindback and already have Mathieu Garon as a backup.

Tampa has the scoring talent but needs stability in net to become a top contender once again so letting Roloson ride into the sunset is the smart move.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Jonas Gustavsson

The Toronto Maple Leafs need some veteran goaltending to become a playoff team once again. Letting Jonas Gustavsson go after a subpar season was the right move.

The Monster got lit up down the stretch of the season and his confidence held him back at times. He was signed by the Detroit Red Wings so it will be interesting to see if he becomes a better goalie with a better team in front of him.

Vancouver Canucks: Marc-Andre Gragnani

The Vancouver Canucks have a very deep blueline led by Alex Edler, Jason Garrison, Dan Hamhuis and Keith Ballard. Gragnani was a defenseman turned forward at times and he didn't fit into the equation for the Canucks.

Washington Capitals: Alex Semin

Alex Semin is hitting the free-agent market and the Capitals are going to free up significant cap space with him doing so.

Semin's point production has dropped over the past few seasons and 54 points is not enough production from a player who makes $6.7 million a season. 

There are rumors that he could bolt to the KHL but it appears he wants to stay in the NHL. If he stays in the NHL, he will take a massive pay cut in doing so.

Winnipeg Jets: Chris Mason

Ondrej Pavelec has taken over the starter's role in Winnipeg and he is a goaltender who shows a lot of promise. 

Letting Mason go was a smart move for the Jets because he was nothing special. The Jets ended up replacing Mason with former New York Islanders' starter Al Montoya