NHL Free Agency 2012: The Defensemen Part Two

This leaves room to sign a couple guys, including those types that no one can predict. The Mike Lundin's of the world.

For now, let's look at the last two remaining players on our list of free agent targets.

Current Cap Hit: $3.437 million
Age: 27

JS: Probably the safest choice out of all defensemen. Sure, Suter is excellent, but what if he's not the same without Weber? What if he gets injured and his price tag becomes a ball and chain? Carle will be a little less expensive, yet will get the job done. He seems to be a tad underrated by the readers here at HW. In Pronger's absence this season, Carle led the Flyers in ice-time while posting a very respectable 38 points.
A minute-muncher who has missed 2 games in the last 3 years, can start plays from his zone AND play good defensively? Sign me up! He will ask for some big bucks, but nowhere near Suter territory (hopefully). I think Carle should even be a priority. Let the 4-5 teams more likely to land Suter fight over him and get Carle into a Wild jersey!
VERDICT: 4-5 years, around 5 million a year.
Bryan: JS is right. Readers around here discount Carle a little too much. I'm not a fan of offensive defensemen, but as they go, Carle is pretty good (defensively even). He'll certainly demand a good price, but one the Wild would be more than willing to pay to boost an anemic blue line. With the price Wideman got yesterday, I can't imagine Carle is going to take less. It seems to me, he might be worth it. If you can stand to watch offense from the blue line.

Verdict: 4-5 years, $5 to $5.5 million per seems about where it will end.

Current Cap Hit: $675K
Age: 27

Bryan: Garrison certainly knows when to have a career year, which scares me off, but only a bit. His numbers have never been great, but throw a 30 point season on, and people get all excited. Thirty point d-men certainly aren't everyday things, but they aren't the rarest creature on the planet either. I wouldn't be opposed to Garrison, just so long as no one gets caught up in one season of productivity in a contract year.

Verdict: Other than Brodin, the Wild don't have a ton of defensemen ready to move to the NHL anytime soon. Give Garrison a 2-3 deal, make him prove his numbers were real. Around $2 - $2.5 million sounds about right, so expect him to sign for around $3.5 million per.

You can almost bet the Wild will be signing a d-man. Who it will be will be an interesting thing to watch.