NHL Free Agency 2012: Teams That Have Taken a Big Step Back

The NHL's free-agency period is one of the most tumultuous times in the NHL, and it usually has positive and negative effects on teams.

The Minnesota Wild were big winners by scooping up Ryan Suter and Zach Parise. Some teams also stayed the course and even added some rookies to their rosters for the upcoming season.

However, there were a few teams that took a step back during the summer, and the 2012-13 season will be interesting, to say the least.

This is a result of making bad signings, losing key players to other teams or a general manager simply not addressing his team's needs.

Here are the NHL franchises that took a big step back this summer. 

Columbus Blue Jackets

For the interim, the Columbus Blue Jackets have taken a step back, but the future remains promising if their newly acquired prospects pan out.

The addition of Tim Erixon and Ryan Murray will really help the team's blue line, but goaltending is still an issue. The departure of Rick Nash was also a huge blow for the team, even more so when you look at the meager return from the New York Rangers.

The Columbus Blue Jackets can't seem to catch a break, and this was an offseason they will want to forget.

Detroit Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings have arguably been a great model of consistency in terms of player retention and success over the past two decades.

However, this summer the Wings suffered two tremendous losses on their blue line, and they failed to adequately replace Nicklas Lidstrom and Brad Stuart.

Replacing Lidstrom is easier said than done, but the Wings could have been more proactive in shoring up their blue line.

If the Wings' defense lets them down this season, they will struggle and will have a tough time competing in an improved Western Conference.

New Jersey Devils

The New Jersey Devils took a few steps back this summer when they lost players, and they have failed to replace them to this point.

The Devils lost one of their top scorers in Zach Parise, they lost secondary scorer Alexei Ponikarovsky and they didn't re-sign Petr Sykora.

Whenever a team losses multiple players, there is a learning curve heading into the next season, and that is something the Devils will encounter in 2012-13.

Phoenix Coyotes

The Phoenix Coyotes as a franchise took a step back this offseason, as the team has not yet been able to secure an owner and put the potential of relocation in the rear-view mirror.

Although Greg Jamison appears to be close, deadline after deadline has continued to be pushed back.

The Coyotes also lost their top scorer in Ray Whitney this offseason. He was a key performer, leader and integral part of the team and will be sorely missed.

After making it to the Western Conference finals, it was expected that the team would have made more moves to increase their chance of success for the 2012-13 season.

Philadelphia Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers took a step back this summer when they failed to replace Chris Pronger. The Flyers fell short of acquiring Shea Weber, so Luke Schenn was the only defensive addition made during the offseason.

However, the Flyers did lose defenders via free agency and injury. For instance, Matt Carle signed with Tampa Bay Lightning, Andrej Meszaros is recovering from a torn Achilles tendon,  Andreas Lilja had a nagging hip injury and the list goes on.

If you take the lockout into consideration, most of these players could be healed by the time league comes back, but that shouldn't have stopped Paul Holmgren from making some moves to better round out his team.

Nashville Predators

The Nashville Predators lost Ryan Suter this offseason, and although the team has defensemen who can step up, there were areas that the Predators failed to address.

Although 10 different players scored 10 goals or more last season, no one on the Preds' roster scored 30 goals or had 60 points.

The lack of a top scoring threat is something that separates Nashville from some of the other powerhouses in the Western Conference.

The Predators have players like Mike Fisher, Marty Erat, Patric Hornqvist, Colin Wilson and Sergei Kostitsyn, all of whom have offensive potential, but they are secondary pieces that would better serve the team in complimentary roles.

Buffalo Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres made some interesting moves this summer, but ultimately, they were moves that will set them back for the interim.

Although the team gained some good prospects through the draft, the 2012-13 squad will be interesting, to say the least. 

The major addition to the team was size, but the team will need to score in a tough Northeast Division that features the Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators.

Derek Roy is gone, and Steve Ott came in to give the team some grit. John Scott was another big acquisition to deter teams like the Bruins from taking runs at Ryan Miller.

There was a major reason that the Sabres drafted Mikhail Grigorenko and Zemgus Girgenson in the first round of the NHL draft—because the team needed to add some serious center depth.

With Cody Hodgson already aboard, Grigorenko and Girgenson should fit nicely in the future. As for 2012-13,  a lot of the Sabres' success will hinge on potential.