Jared Cowen, Ottawa Senators
Feb 15, 2012; Tampa, FL, USA; Ottawa Senators defenseman Jared Cowen (2) skates during the third period against the Florida Panthers at the BankAtlantic Center. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Counted on to be a top 4 defenseman and coming off a major hip injury, Cowen is another player who will likely need to prove himself before getting a long-term deal. He missed a lot of development time last season and needs to be on the ice to continue his improvement to become the top end player he has the potential to become.