A list of unrestricted 2012 NHL free agent defenseman. We’ll continue to update the free agent list as the year goes on.
| Player | 2011-12 Team | 11-12 Cap Hit | Contract Notes |
| Nicklas Lidstrom | Detroit Red Wings | $6,200,000 | Retired |
| Michal Rozsival | Phoenix Coyotes | $5,000,000 | |
| John-Michael Liles | Toronto Maple Leafs | $4,200,000 | Re-signed with the Maple Leafs. 4 years, $15.5 million |
| Dennis Wideman | Washington Capitals | $3,875,000 | Traded to Flames. Signed with them for 5 years, $26.25 million |
| Pavel Kubina | Philadelphia Flyers | $3,850,000 | |
| Jaroslav Spacek | Carolina Hurricanes | $3,833,000 | |
| Francois Beauchemin | Anaheim Ducks | $3,800,000 | Re-signed with the Ducks. 3 years, $10.5 million |
| Brad Stuart | San Jose Sharks | $3,750,000 | Re-signed with the Sharks. 3 years, $10.8 million |
| Filip Kuba | Ottawa Senators | $3,700,000 | Signed with the Panthers. 2 years, $8 million |
| Barret Jackman | St. Louis Blues | $3,625,000 | Re-signed with the Blues. 3 years, $9.5 million. |
| Cory Sarich | Calgary Flames | $3,600,000 | Re-signed with the Flames. 2 years, $4 million |
| Willie Mitchell | Los Angeles Kings | $3,500,000 | |
| Ryan Suter | Nashville Predators | $3,500,000 | Signed with the Wild. 13 years, $98 million |
| Jeff Finger | Toronto Maple Leafs | $3,500,000 | |
| John Oduya | Chicago Blackhawks | $3,500,000 | Re-signed with the Blackhawks. 3 years, $10.125 million |
| Matt Carle | Philadelphia Flyers | $3,438,000 | Signed with the Lightning. 6 years, $33 million |
| Bryan Allen | Carolina Hurricanes | $2,900,000 | Signed with the Ducks. 3 years, $10.5 million |
| Bryce Salvador | New Jersey Devils | $2,900,000 | Re-signed with the Devils. 3 years, $9.5 million |
| Tim Gleason | Carolina Hurricanes | $2,750,000 | Re-signed with the Hurricanes. 4 years, $16 million. |
| Josh Gorges | Montreal Canadiens | $2,500,000 | Re-signed with the Canadiens. 6 years, $23.4 million. |
| Mark Eaton | New York Islanders | $2,500,000 | |
| Joe Corvo | Boston Bruins | $2,250,000 | Signed with the Hurricanes. 1 year , $2 million |
| Hal Gill | Nashville Predators | $2,250,000 | Re-signed with the Predators. 2 years, $4 million. |
| Cam Barker | Edmonton | $2,250,000 | |
| Radek Martinek | Columbus Blue Jackets | $2,200,000 | |
| Andy Sutton | Edmonton Oilers | $2,125,000 | Re-signed with the Oilers. 1 year, $1.5 million. |
| Carlo Colaiacovo | St. Louis Blues | $2,125,000 | |
| Shaone Morrisonn | Buffalo Sabres | $2,075,000 | |
| Adrian Aucoin | Phoenix Coyotes | $2,000,000 | Signed with the Blue Jackets. 1 year, $2 million plus bonuses |
| Sami Salo | Vancouver Canucks | $2,000,000 | Signed with the Lightning. 2 years, $7.5 million |
| Greg Zanon | Minnesota Wild | $1,933,333 | Signed with the Avalanche. 2 years, $4.5 million |
| Johnny Boychuk | Boston Bruins | $1,875,000 | Re-signed with the Bruins. 3 years, $10.1 million. |
| Kurtis Foster | Minnesota Wild | $1,800,000 | |
| Chris Campoli | Montreal Canadiens | $1,750,000 | |
| Kurt Sauer | Phoenix Coyotes | $1,750,000 | |
| Sheldon Souray | Dallas Stars | $1,650,000 | Signed with the Ducks. 3 years, $11 million |
| Nicklas Grossman | Philadelphia Flyers | $1,625,000 | Re-signed with the Flyers. 4 years, $14 million. |
| Milan Jurcina | New York Islanders | $1,600,000 | |
| Steve Staios | New York Islanders | $1,600,000 | |
| Matt Hunwick | Colorado Avalanche | $1,550,000 | Re-signed with the Avalanche. 2 years, $3.2 million. |
| Brett Clark | Tampa Bay Lightning | $1,500,000 | |
| Francis Bouillon | Nashville Predators | $1,350,000 | Signed with the Canadiens. 1 year, $1.5 million |
| Randy Jones | Winnipeg Jets | $1,150,000 | |
| Shane O’Brien | Colorado Avalanche | $1,100,000 | Re-signed with the Avalanche. 3 years, $6 million. |
| Scott Hannan | Calgary Flames | $1,000,000 | |
| Brad Lukowich | Dallas Stars | $1,000,000 | |
| Mike Lundin | Minnesota Wild | $1,000,000 | Signed with the Senators. 1 year , $1.15 million |
| Colin White | San Jose Sharks | $1,000,000 | |
| Jim Vandermeer | San Jose Sharks | $1,000,000 | |
| Kent Huskins | St. Louis Blues | $1,000,000 | |
| Matt Gilroy | Ottawa Senators | $1,000,000 | |
| Ryan Parent | Vancouver Canucks | $925,000 | |
| Mike Weaver | Florida Panthers | $900,000 | |
| Yuri Alexandrov | Boston Bruins | $850,000 | |
| Sean O’Donnell | Chicago Blackhawks | $850,000 | |
| Andrey Zubarev | Winnipeg Jets | $825,000 | |
| Mike Mottau | New York Islanders | $800,000 | |
| Steve Eminger | New York Rangers | $800,000 | |
| Sheldon Brookbank | Anaheim Ducks | $750,000 | Signed with the Blackhawks. 2 years |
| Sami Lepisto | Chicago Blackhawks | $750,000 | |
| Tyson Strachan | Florida Panthers | $750,000 | |
| Aaron Rome | Vancouver Canucks | $750,000 | Signed with the Stars. 3 years , $4.5 million |
| Taylor Chorney | Edmonton Oilers | $735,000 | Signed with the Blues. 1 year, $575,000 |
| Dean Arsene | Phoenix Coyotes | $725,000 | |
| Derek Smith | Calgary Flames | $700,000 | |
| Matt Carkner | Ottawa Senators | $700,000 | Signed with the Islanders. 3 years , $4.5 million |
| Alexander Sulzer | Buffalo Sabres | $700,000 | |
| Derek Meech | Winnipeg Jets | $700,000 | Re-signed with the Jets. 1 year, $700,000 2-way |
| Nick Holden | Columbus Blue Jackets | $675,000 | |
| Jason Garrison | Florida Panthers | $675,000 | Signed with the Canucks. 6 years, $27.6 million |
| Jack Hillen | Nashville Predators | $650,000 | Signed with the Capitals. 1 year |
| Tyler Sloan | Nashville Predators | $650,000 | Signed with the Stars. 1 year, $600,000 |
| Jeff Woywitka | New York Rangers | $650,000 | Signed with the Blues. 1 year, $700,000 |
| Andrew Bodnarchuk | Boston Bruins | $635,250 | Signed with the Kings. 1 year, $600,000 |
| Dylan Reese | New York Islanders | $635,500 | |
| Patrick Mullen | Los Angeles Kings | $632,500 | Signed with the Canucks. 1 year, $600,000 |
| Matt Smaby | Anaheim Ducks | $600,000 | Re-signed with the Ducks. 1 year, 2 way deal |
| Zach McKelvie | Boston Bruins | $600,000 | |
| Mathieu Roy | Carolina Hurricanes | $600,000 | |
| Matt Lashoff | Toronto Maple Leafs | $600,000 | |
| Garnet Exelby | Detroit Red Wings | $600,000 | |
| Garrett Stafford | Montreal Canadiens | $600,000 | Signed with the Capitals. 1 year |
| Nathan Oystrick | Phoenix Coyotes | $600,000 | |
| Stu Bickel | New York Ranges | $600,000 | Re-signed by the Rangers. 2 years, $1.5 million |
| Maxime Fortunus | Dallas Stars | $587,500 | |
| Matt Taormina | New Jersey Devils | $550,000 | Signed with the Lightning. 1 year |
| Aaron Johnson | Columbus Blue Jackets | $550,000 | |
| Scott Jackson | Tampa Bay Lightning | $550,000 | |
| Marc-Andre Gragnani | Vancouver Canucks | $550,000 | |
| Clayton Stoner | Minnesota Wild | $550,000 | Re-signed with the Wild. 2 years, $2.1 million. |
| Joe Callahan | Montreal Canadiens | $550,000 | |
| Peter Harrold | New Jersey Devils | $550,000 | |
| Bruno Gervais | Tampa Bay Lightning | $550,000 | Signed with the Flyers. 2 years, $1.7 million |
| Bryan Rodney | Anaheim Ducks | $525,000 | |
| David Liffiton | Colorado Avalanche | $525,000 | |
| Dan Spang | Dallas Stars | $525,000 | |
| Brian Connelly | Chicago Blackhawks | $525,000 | Signed with the Wild. 2 years, $1.25 million |
| Jeff Penner | Minnesota | $525,000 | |
| Tyler Eckford | Phoenix Coyotes | $525,000 | Signed with the Senators. 2 years, $1.2 million |
| Kyle Hagel | St. Louis Blues | $525,000 | |
| Logan Pyett | Detroit Red Wings | $525,000 | Signed with the Rangers. 1 year, $600,000 |
| Corey Potter | Edmonton Oilers | $525,000 | |
| Jay Leach | New Jersey Devils | $525,000 | Re-signed with the Devils. 1 year, $525,000 |
| Brendan Bell | New York Rangers | $525,000 | |
| Dan Jancevski | Philadelphia Flyers | $525,000 | |
| Sean Sullivan | San Jose Sharks | $525,000 | Signed with the Avalanche. 1 year, $575,000 |
| Danny Syvret | St. Louis Blues | $525,000 | Signed with the Flyers. 2 years, $1.175 million |
| Richard Petiot | Tampa Bay Lightning | $525,000 | |
| Nolan Baumgarner | Vancouver Canucks | $525,000 | |
| Zach Miskovic | Washington Capitals | $525,000 | |
| Sean Collins | Washington Capitals | $525,000 | |
| Danny Richmond | Washington Capitals | $525,000 | |
| Mark Flood | Winnipeg Jets | $525,000 | |
| Doug Janik | Detroit Red Wings | $512,500 | |
| Alex Henry | Montreal Canadiens | $512,500 | |
| Mike Moore | San Jose Sharks | $512,500 | Signed with the Predators. 1 year, $550,000 2 way |
| Brennan Evans | St. Louis Blues | $512,500 | |
| Nathan McIver | Boston Bruins | $512,000 | |
| John Scott | New York Rangers | $512,000 | Signed with the Sabres. 1 year, $600,000 |
Centers | Left Wingers | Right Wingers | Defenseman | Goalies