Here is an early look at 2012 NHL free agents – unrestricted centermen. It doesn’t look like a strong free agent crop again this year.
I’ve broken the NHL free agent list by position, and ranked free agents by their 2011-12 salary cap number.
| Player | 2011-12 Team | 11-12 Cap Hit | Contract Notes |
| Daymond Langkow | Phoenix Coyotes | $4,500,000 | |
| Tuomo Ruutu | Carolina Hurricanes | $3,800,000 | Re-signed with the Hurricanes. 4 years, $19 million. |
| Jarret Stoll | Los Angeles Kings | $3,600,000 | Re-signed with the Kings. 3 years, $9.75 million. |
| Jochen Hecht | Buffalo Sabres | $3,525,000 | |
| Olli Jokinen | Calgary Flames | $3,000,000 | Signed with the Jets. 2 years, $9 million |
| Mikhail Grabovski | Toronto Maple Leafs | $2,900,000 | Re-signed with the Leafs. 5 years, $27.5 million |
| Jiri Hudler | Detroit Red Wings | $2,875,000 | Signed with the Flames. 4 years, $16 million |
| Jason Arnott | St. Louis Blues | $2,800,000 | |
| Samuel Pahlsson | Vancouver Canucks | $2,650,000 | Signed with Modo (Swe) |
| Saku Koivu | Anaheim Ducks | $2,500,000 | Re-signed with the Ducks. 1 year, $3 million plus bonuses. |
| Paul Gaustad | Nashville Predators | $2,300,000 | Re-signed with the Predators. 4 years, $13 million |
| Chris Kelly | Boston Bruins | $2,125,000 | Re-signed with the Bruins. 4 years, $12 million. |
| Steven Reinprecht | Vancouver Canucks | $2,050,000 | |
| Jay McClement | Colorado Avalanche | $1,450,000 | Signed with the Maple Leafs. 2 years, $3 million |
| Torrey Mitchell | San Jose Sharks | $1,366,667 | Signed with the Wild. 3 years, $5.7 million |
| Zach Hamill | Boston Bruins | $1,316,667 | Re-signed with the Bruins |
| Brendan Morrison | Chicago Blackhawks | $1,250,000 | |
| Kyle Brodziak | Minnesota Wild | $1,150,000 | |
| Gregory Campbell | Boston Bruins | $1,100,000 | Re-signed with the Bruins. 3 years, $4.8 million. |
| Dominic Moore | San Jose Sharks | $1,100,000 | |
| Jim Slater | Winnipeg Jets | $1,000,000 | |
| Daniel Winnik | Colorado Avalanche | $950,000 | |
| Erik Christensen | Minesota Wild | $925,000 | |
| Lennart Petrell | Edmonton Oilers | $900,000 | |
| Alexandre Giroux | Columbus Blue Jackets | $825,000 | |
| Colin Fraser | Los Angeles Kings | $825,000 | |
| Jeff Halpern | Washington Capitals | $825,000 | Signed with the Rangers. 1 year, $700,000 |
| Jake Dowell | Dallas Stars | $800,000 | Signed with the Wild. 2 years, $1.4 million |
| Brandon Prust | New York Rangers | $800,000 | Signed with the Canadiens. 4 years, $10 million |
| Toby Petersen | Dallas Stars | $775,000 | Re-signed with the Stars. 2 years, $1.35 million |
| Ryan Carter | New Jersey Devils | $750,000 | Re-signed with the Devils. 2 years, $1.55 million |
| Jesse Winchester | Ottawa Senators | $750,000 | |
| Tim Wallace | New York Islanders | $700,000 | |
| Zenon Konopka | Ottawa Senators | $700,000 | Signed with the Wild. 2 years , $1.5 million |
| Blair Betts | Philadelphia Flyers | $700,000 | |
| Scott Nichol | St. Louis Blues | $700,000 | Re-signed with the Blues. 1 year, $650,000 up to $700,000 |
| Kyle Wellwood | Winnipeg Jets | $700,000 | |
| Jean-Francois Jacques | Anaheim Ducks | $650,000 | Signed with the Panthers. 1 year, 2 way |
| John Mitchell | New York Rangers | $650,000 | Signed with the Avalanche. 2 years , $2.2 million |
| Mike Zigomanis | Toronto Maple Leafs | $650,000 | |
| Patrick O’Sullivan | Phoenix Coyotes | $625,000 | |
| Trevor Frischmon | New York Islanders | $615,000 | |
| Yannick Riendeau | Boston Bruins | $613,333 | |
| Aaron Volpotti | Vancouver Canucks | $612,500 | |
| Marc-Antoine Pouliot | Phoenix Coyotes | $605,000 | |
| Josh Hennessy | Boston Bruins | $600,000 | |
| Derek MacKenzie | Columbus Blue Jackets | $600,000 | |
| Jeff Taffe | Minnesota Wild | $600,000 | |
| Chris Porter | St. Louis Blues | $600,000 | |
| Alexandre Picard | Tampa Bay Lightning | $600,000 | C |
| Riley Holzapfel | Anaheim Ducks | $575,000 | Signed with the Penguins. 1 year , $525,000 |
| Josh Green | Edmonton Oilers | $575,000 | |
| Alexandre Bolduc | Phoenix Coyotes | $575,000 | Re-signed with the Coyotes. 1 year, $650,000 |
| Andrew Murray | Detroit Red Wings | $575,000 | Signed with the Blues. 1 year, 2 way |
| Igor Makarov | Chicago Blackhawks | $552,500 | |
| Brodie Dupont | Nashville Predators | $550,000 | |
| Chris Conner | Detroit Red Wings | $550,000 | Signed with the Coyotes. 1 year, $650,000 |
| Greg Rallo | Florida Panthers | $550,000 | Re-signed with the Panthers. 1 year, 2 way |
| Rod Pelley | New Jersey Devils | $550,000 | |
| Corey Locke | Ottawa Senators | $550,000 | |
| Richard Park | Pittsburgh Penguins | $550,000 | |
| Brandon Dollig | Chicago Blackhawks | $545,000 | |
| Warren Petters | Minnesota Wild | $537,500 | |
| Brett Sutter | Carolina Hurricanes | $525,000 | Re-signed with the Hurricanes. 1 year, $550,000 |
| Colin Stuart | Buffalo Sabres | $525,000 | |
| Michael Ryan | Buffalo Sabres | $525,000 | |
| Guillame Desbiens | Calgary Flames | $525,000 | |
| Greg Mauldin | Colorado Avalanche | $525,000 | |
| Christian Hanson | Washtington Capitals | $525,000 | Signed with the Bruins. 1 year, $600,000. |
| Travis Turnbull | Buffalo Sabres | $525,000 | |
| Frans Nielsen | New York Islanders | $525,000 | Re-signed with the Islanders . 4 years, $11 million. |
| Andre Deveaux | New York Rangers | $525,000 | Signed with the Panthers. 1 year, $700,000 |
| Colin McDonald | Pittsburgh Penguins | $525,000 | Signed with the Islanders. 1 year, $700,000, 2 way |
| Ryan Craig | Pittsburgh Penguins | $525,000 | |
| Robert Klinkhammer | Ottawa Senators | $525,000 | Signed with the Coyotes. 1 year, $650,000 |
| Trevor Smith | Tampa Bay Lightning | $525,000 | |
| Andrew Ebbett | Vancouver Canucks | $525,000 | Re-signed with the Canucks. 1 year, $600,000 2 way |
| Tim Stapleton | Winnipeg Jets | $525,000 | |
| Jamie Johnson | Detroit Red Wings | $512,500 | |
| Jon Matsumoto | Florida Panthers | $512,500 | Signed with the Sharks. 1 year, $632,500 |
| Stefan Meyer | Calgary Flames | $512,500 | |
| Kris Newbury | New York Rangers | $512,500 | Re-signed with the Rangers. 2 years, 2 way |
| Keith Aucoin | Washington Capitals | $512,500 |
Centers | Left Wingers | Right Wingers | Defenseman | Goalies