Looking Ahead at the NHL: Next Year's Top Free Agents for All 30 Teams

This year’s free agent class saw crown jewel Brad Richards go to the New York Rangers for big money and a long term deal. Tomas Vokoun signed a discount deal with Washington for a chance to lead them to a Cup and Drew Doughty remains unsigned holding out for huge money after his entry level contract (ELC) just expired. It’s never too soon to look ahead to next year and see what’s going to happen.

The 2012 Free Agent class includes some top snipers on the wing, a few skilled play makers, some agitators, superstars in the making at every position and a seasoned veteran who might have the chance to play with a third team in his career, all while staying with the same franchise. 

Anaheim Ducks: Francois Beauchemin

The Ducks are not that deep on defense and Beauchemin is a Cup veteran from their 2006-2007 team. While Francois might be overpaid on the contract he signed with the Leafs, he is a solid defenseman who the Ducks will want to keep around, possibly with a hometown discount.

Boston Bruins: David Krejci (RFA)

Slightly edging out Tuukka Rask, Krejci is a great No. 1 center and an even better playoff performer. 

Buffalo Sabres: Tyler Myers (RFA)

The former Calder winner is a great player to build a franchise around. The Sabres will want to lock up the giant of a man for a very long time. 

Calgary Flames: Olli Jokinen

You’ve gotta be joking me! In between a rock and a hard place, the Calgary Flames best player to re-sign next year will be the playoff Grim Reaper himself.

Carolina Hurricanes: Tim Gleason

Gleason is a solid stay at home defenseman with a mean streak and hitting ability. The market isn’t exactly on fire for defensemen of his ilk, so we can expect to see Gleason sign on the cheap next year. 

Chicago Blackhawks: Dan Carcillo

The Blackhawks have all their important players signed past next year. Carcillo is not necessarily important to the team but wherever he goes, he will create buzz to entertain us all. 

Colorado Avalanche: Matt Duchene (RFA)

Duchene is a franchise player and could be the future captain of the rebuilding Avs. Duchene and Statsny form one of the better one-two punches at center in the league. Duchene’s potential ceiling is through the roof and he is a pleasure to watch. 

Columbus Blue Jackets: Fydor Tyutin

Tyutin is the Blue Jackets’ biggest concern based on their current defensive depth. Tyutin is one of their best defensemen and re-signing him to keep him in Columbus will be the organization’s top priority. 

Dallas Stars: Alex Goligoski (RFA)

Dallas must re-sign Gogo to justify getting rid of James Neal. Dallas has no depth at any position and will need young players like Goligoski to rebuild the franchise. 

Detroit Red Wings: Nicklas Lidstrom

What else can be said about Lidstrom? Unlike Teemu Selanne, Lidstrom made his decision to play another season rather quickly. The reigning Norris winner has a chance to go after Bobby Orr’s record eight trophies. Lidstrom is indeed a generational talent and the entire NHL loses should he decide to finally retire. 

Edmonton Oilers: Ales Hemsky

There is a 99 percent likelihood that Hemsky does not finish the season with the Oilers, the only home he’s ever known. It is also unlikely that Hemsky hits free agency as whoever acquires him will be looking to get a return on their investment. Hemsky is a young and talented player who is among the best right wings in the league when he can stay healthy. 

Florida Panthers: Dmitri Kulikov (RFA)

One half of the future Kulikov-Gudbranson we’ve been hearing so much about. Kulikov has the chance to be a great defenseman with all the ice time he’s going to get in Florida, eventually pushing out Campbell and Jovanovski as the team’s top choice on defense. 

Los Angeles Kings: Dustin Penner

If the former Oiler does not sign on the cheap, everyone expects Penner to test free agency. There are plenty of better power forwards that the Kings could acquire that would better fit the mold of their system. Penner’s chemistry with Kopitar next season will be a big selling point if he wishes to stay in LA.

Minnesota Wild: Guillaume Latendresse (RFA)

Latendresse doesn’t always play in the NHL, but when he does, he prefers to be a near half a point game per game player. If Guillaume can play at least a 70 game season and speed up his scoring just a tad, he could see a decent paycheck coming his way. The Wild will hold on to him just based off the lack of scoring depth they have. 

Montreal Canadiens: Carey Price (RFA)

When the Habs made the decision to get rid of Halak and keep Price, they essentially wrote Price a blank check. Although he wasn’t paid very well on his last contract which was only two years, Price can name his own price with a good season. The Habs are now so reliant on young Carey that he really doesn’t need to do anything special to justify a fat contract, just show up. Enjoy, young man. 

Nashville Predators: Shea Weber (RFA)

Nashville has big decisions to make next summer as Weber, Suter and Rinne will all be free agents next year. Will they keep Weber or one of the other two?

New Jersey Devils: Zach Parise

Parise will be the crown jewel of unrestricted free agency next year. All 30 teams would be wise to show interest in the star winger. I would expect there to be as many as 10 serious bidders. This is one player you can’t pass on if your team is in a financial situation to acquire him. 

New York Islanders: John Tavares (RFA)

Tavares is the future of the Isles and they would be wise not to try to pull strings or low ball the young franchise center. Give Tavares what he wants and don’t screw around, literally the future of the team depends on him. 

New York Rangers: Sean Avery

With their core locked up for the foreseeable future, mega pest and runner up to Matt Cooke as the most hated player in the NHL will most likely find himself having trouble looking for work next year.

Ottawa Senators: Filip Kuba

Kuba is Ottawa’s most important free agent because his numbers will finally come off the books. 

Philadelphia Flyers: Jaromir Jagr

Quite a few free agents on the horizon for the Flyers. While Jagr isn't the most important, he will assuredly create the most buzz.

Depending on his play and ability to reintegrate himself back into the NHL, will the former superstar want to stick around for another year if he doesn’t win the Cup?

James van Riemsdyk will almost assuredly sign with the only team he's played with.

Meanwhile, Braydon Coburn has shown flashes of offense in the past, is only 26 years old and has playoff experience. There should be a healthy amount of interest in Coburn next summer and should have no trouble finding a home.

Who is the most important Flyer to re-sign? 

Phoenix Coyotes: Shane Doan

Shane Doan should retire with the franchise he’s spent his entire career with. Doan could be the only player to do so with a franchise that has been relocated three times. Simply amazing.

Pittsburgh Penguins: Chris Kunitz

Crosby and Malkin hitting free agency is right around the corner but for now, the power forward acquired from Anaheim that has a ring is the team’s biggest concern this offseason. 

San Jose Sharks: Logan Couture (RFA)

Last year’s runner up to the Calder Trophy has actually been in the NHL longer than people think. The sharpshooter will be the Sharks’ main concern next summer. The Sharks are loaded with talent at the center position and will have to decide whether it is worth keeping Joe Thornton or Patrick Marleau who both make $7 million (Marleau is listed at $6.9 million) because Joe Pavelski is a legit second line center and Couture if he builds on his rookie season definitely has first line potential as soon as a few seasons down the road. Other than Weber and Price, Couture could find himself one of the highest paid RFAs next year. 

St. Louis Blues: Chris Stewart (RFA)

The newly acquired right winger has potential to be one of the game’s top power forwards.

Tampa Bay Lightning: Victor Hedman (RFA)

The former second overall pick had a decent season last year and will really have to prove this year that he is deserving of a big raise after his entry level contract. Hedman posted 26 points last season with a plus-3 rating, he will need to work on his numbers and perhaps work his way on to the top defensive pairing in order to get big money already which does not look lightly. Hedman is just a boy in the Lightning’s defensive corps which includes old veterans Mattias Ohlund, Pavel Kubina, Eric Brewer, Brett Clark and Marc-Andre Bergeron. 

Toronto Maple Leafs: Mikhail Grabovski

The once cast-off Montreal Canadien has cemented himself as a top center in Toronto. Keeping Grabo should be easy since the other major concern of the Leafs will be budding defenseman Keith Aulie and nobody expects Jonas “The Monster Who Scares No One” Gustavsson to get a raise or  not even be with the Leafs past 2012. Newly acquired John-Michael Liles will most likely not make as much as he does now ($4.2 million) and the Leafs will have slightly over $20 million in cap space to get all this done. Say what you will about GM Brian Burke, but he has positioned this team nicely for the future. 

Vancouver Canucks: Cory Schneider (RFA)

Mikael Sammuelson could be put here but Schneider is the backup plan for the Canucks. Should Luongo choke in the playoffs again, they have the young American to fall back on. 

Washington Capitals: Alexander Semin

If Semin doesn’t sign a cap-friendly deal, he will most likely be on his way out of Washington. He simply is not worth $6.7 million to a playoff team when he performs the way he does. Ask Matt Bradley how he really feels about Semin.

Winnipeg Jets: Evander Kane (RFA)

Edging out Ondrej Pavelec, Kane has leader written all over him and since Andrew Ladd doesn’t seem to be too overjoyed to be in Winnipeg, the Jets could one day become Evander’s team.