According to Barry Melrose of the NHL Network, defenseman Hall Gill and pending UFA forward Travis Moen of the Montreal Canadiens could attract a lot of attention from playoff bound teams looking to add size and veteran playoff experience before the February 27 trade deadline.

Melrose speculates that high-profile players such as pending unrestricted free agents defenseman Ryan Suter of the Nashville Predators, forward Zach Parise of the New Jersey Devils, and forward Tuomo Ruutu may follow his Carolina Hurricanes, will be put on the trade market by their respective teams, so secondary players may become much sought after.

That’s where Gill and Moen come in.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Hal Gill. Photo courtesy Flickr user bridgetds.

ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun and Kevin Allen of the USA Today believe that the Canadiens will move Gill by the trade deadline. The 6-7, 240-pound blueliner could draw many suitors due to his hard-nosed style of play and his Stanley Cup ring.

Allen reports that the Chicago Blackhawks are shopping for a blueliner and may look at Gill among others.

Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post Dispatch has the St. Louis Blues being interested. CBC’s Elliotte Friedman reported earlier this month that the Blues had three scouts at a recent game between the Winnipeg Jets and Canadiens watching a left-side defenseman, thought to be Gill.

According to Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe, the Boston Bruins may look to add to their blueline. Gill would be one of several options.

Montreal Canadiens forward Travis Moen.

According to the Toronto Sun, the Canadiens like what Moen brings to the table but wouldn’t mind moving the former Anaheim Duck because (1) they don’t think they can fit him under the salary cap, and (2) they would like want to give their prospects more playing time.

Like Gill, Moen has won a Stanley Cup and has been a great playoff performer while being a defensively responsible forward and playing a gritty game. As Allen point out, Moen would be much sought after by contending teams.

So far, LeBrun reports that the Pittsburgh Penguins are interested. Dave Lozo of NHL.com has the Detroit Red Wings looking at him as a possibility.

The Toronto Sun reported recently that there is “growing interest” in Moen, with the San Jose Sharks in hot pursuit.

The report also mentions that before teams trade for Moen, they will want to see how he comes back from an upper-body injury he suffered January 21st. Moen has just resumed light skating and is expected to be out for at least another week.

Nashville Predators general manager David Poile said on the FAN590′s HockeyCentral radio show that the club is aiming to re-sign pending unrestricted free agent defenseman Ryan Suter. And preferably before the February 27 trade deadline.

However, nothing appears to have changed since February 1st when Josh Cooper of the Tennessean reported that Poile and Suter’s agent have had negotiations on a new contract for the American defenseman.

And if progress isn’t made Poile told the FAN590 that he cannot guarantee that he will not deal Suter to avoid the risk of losing him for nothing at season’s end.

I don’t want to shut the door (on a trade), but I can’t see us being successful without Ryan (Suter) in first our quest to make the playoffs and obviously to win in the playoffs. Our goal is to sign him… As a manager you can’t deal in absolutes. The landscape changes every day with your wins and losses and injuries.

The Predators have long been a budget-conscious club while sporting one of the lowest payrolls in the NHL. The belief throughout the hockey world is that they would not be able to afford goaltender Pekka Rinne’s salary cap hit of $7.0 million and the their need to re-sign defenseman Shea Weber. But the on-the-cheap days are over, according to Poile.

We’ve always been one of the lowest spending teams in the NHL, but our owners have got their arms totally around the fact to pay Pekka Rinne $7 million, to pay Weber ($7.5 million), and fill in the blank on what you think it will cost to sign Suter, you add up all of our salaries and we’re going to be a cap team next year.

Could that also mean that the Predators may target a few rental players to try and make a play for the Stanley Cup? NBC’s ProHockeyTalk’s Jason Brough suggests that the ownership in Nashville should show they’re committed to winning by being aggressive at the trade deadline and bolster their roster.

As the CBC’s Elliotte Friedman points out it’s not all about money with Suter. Suter wants to win. And proving that the Predators want the same thing could go a long way for them to retain their Star blueliner.

It’s not that cut and dry to Poile, however. He has a number of options to to consider.

My aggressiveness to make changes between now and Feb. 27 could take on salary, could take on rental players, could give up future (draft picks and prospects), it all probably makes sense if (Ryan) Suter is signed. If Ryan leaves here on July 1, maybe a lot of those things I was going to do wouldn’t make a lot of sense in the long run.

But don’t look for Suter to make it easy on his general manager.

As reported by USA Today’s Kevin Allen and others during the All Star weekend, Suter is intent on hitting the open market and doesn’t appear to be too interested in signing a contract extension.

I don’t see the point of doing it. It would be a distraction at this point. I will still be with Nashville until July 1, and we could still get something done.

Suter went on to tell ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun that his priority is the game on the ice, not on negotiating a new contract.

I feel it would be more of a distraction than anything. We’ve never had a timeline or deadline. We’re just focusing on winning. Everything else will take care of itself.

Suter was then asked by Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer how the idea of playing for the Philadelphia Flyers sounded. The Flyers have been rumored to have interest in picking up Suter as a replacement for the injured Chris Pronger.

I don’t think about where I want to be. I focus on being a good player on our team. The time will come for all that, and now is not the time. Our team is doing very good right now, and hopefully we can go and get that piece we might need for the playoffs.

Darren Dreger of TSN reports that the New York Rangers will be among a number of teams that will show interest in Suter if he were to be made available. Dreger believes that he would cost a roster player, an A level prospect, a B level prospect, and a 1st round draft pick.

As things stand now, things are setting up to be a sellers market. It appears that a high number of teams are looking to acquire a scoring forward or two, while not many are currently available.

Here’s a look at the latest rumors by position.

Forwards

USA Today’s Kevin Allen reports that the Buffalo Sabres, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers, Phoenix Coyotes, and the Toronto Maple Leafs are also interested in a scoring forward, while ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun adds the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings to the list.

Don Brennan of the Ottawa Sun reports that Ottawa Senators will look to add some offense to their forward ranks if they remain a playoff team.

Anaheim Ducks forward Bobby Ryan. Photo courtesy Flick user bridgetds.

TSN’s Darren Dreger believes that the Columbus Blue Jackets will shop high-priced forwards Jeff Carter, Antoine Vermette and Derick Brassard. However, Jason Brough of NBC Sports’ Pro Hockey Talk blog suggests that it might make more sense for Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson to move the recently-acquired Carter during the off-season.

In Anaheim, the Ducks’ Bobby Ryan is still hearing his name in trade rumors. He has been since November of this year. And as he tells Eric Stephens of the OC Register he has not spoken to Ducks general manager Bob Murray about the possibility of his departure from Southern-California.

Other players that are rumored to be available includes Drew Stafford of the Buffalo Sabres, Tuomo Ruutu of the Carolina Hurricanes, pending unrestricted free agents Vinny Prospal and Samuel Pahlsson of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and Ales Hemsky and Ryan Smyth of the Edmonton Oilers. But with the high demand, and low supply, price will be high.

Defensemen

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Tim Gleason. Photo courtesy Flick user RangerRick.

Nashville Predators’ Ryan Suter may become available if the club doesn’t get him re-signed before the deadline.

The Hurricanes’ Tim Gleason may be coveted by playoff bound teams looking for a tough-minded defenseman. The Flyers may look into him if the asking price for Suter is too much.

Goalies

LAKingsInsider.com’s Rich Hammondwonders whether the Kings may move Jonathan Bernier. With Jonathan Quick’s sensational play this season, Bernier hasn’t seen much action and has been relegated to the backup role. He could garner quite the return on the trade market, since “highly regarded around the league as a potential future NHL No. 1 goalie.”

Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Bernier. Photo courtesy Flick user bridgetds.

TSN’s Darren Dreger suggests that the Oilers will listen to trade offers for Nikolai Khabibulin. Due to their inexperience in net, the Oilers would require another goaltender in return for Khabibulin.

ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun also reports that the San Jose Sharks are shopping Antero Niittymaki. The pending unrestricted free agent is currently on a conditioning stint with the Sharks’ AHF affiliate.

Despite signing Brian Elliott to a two-year contract extension, St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong tells ESPN that he is not looking to move backup Jaroslav Halak.

Nashville Predators general manager David Poile tells ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun that he is looking to acquire a top six forward.

Our team is young and getting better and we see a lot of good things with our team right now, but if we can get a veteran forward or top-six forward, that would help us a lot.

Options may be limited because of the high number of teams looking to add scoring forwards, and the low number of them available.

There’s 15 to 20 teams right now that are aggressively calling the three or four or five teams that they think are appropriate to call. And there’s nothing happening with those teams right now.

There’s also nothing happening in regards to getting pending unrestricted free agent Ryan Suter’s name on a contract extension, as his agent Neil Sheehy confirmed to LeBrun. While talks continue, there is no progress to report.

Nashville Predators defenseman Ryan Suter. Photo courtesy Flickr user bridgetds.

Like many in the hockey world, USA Today’s Kevin Allen, believes that if the Predators can’t lock up the pending unrestricted free agent Ryan Suter, they will not risk losing him for nothing in the summer and may move him before the February 27 trade deadline.

The Philadelphia Flyers are believed to be one of the teams interested in making a play for Suter — they could use a first-pair blueliner to replace the injured Chris Pronger. The SportsNet Hockeycentral panel has also lists the Edmonton Oilers and Detroit Red Wings as potential suitors (see video above).

The asking price may be a top-six forward.

Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News suggests that it would take a package of a good prospect and an NHL-ready player that can step into the lineup right away. Heika names Dallas Stars‘ Patrik Nemeth and Mark Fistric as examples.

However, Poile doesn’t appear to be interested in moving the blueliner before the deadline. Quite the opposite. Poile is intent on bolstering his roster for a playoff run.

If you’re asking what I’m going to do, my gut is that we’re going to be trying to add to our team and if we’re adding to our team, we certainly don’t want to be taking away from it by making a deal like that.

Red Wings general manager Ken Holland tells Khan that while the priority is the February 27 trade deadline, he and his staff will put together a more comprehensive plan going forward.

We’ll go over all the teams, we’ll go over our team, the real emphasis is on the trade deadline. But there’s also free agency on July 1. We’ll go over what we think we need and what might be out there for the trade deadline and also free agency.

Anaheim Ducks forward Teemu Selanne. Photo courtesy Flickr user bridgetds.

Khan suggests that the Red Wings’s immidiate focus will be on bolstering their forward group with a scoring winger and/or “an abrasive third- or fourth-line forward.” The names being floated around have been that of Carolina Hurricanes’ Tuomo Ruutu, Edmonton Oilers‘ Ales Hemsky and Anaheim Ducks’ Teemu Selanne. Selanne has long been a target of the Red Wings in the past, but have always failed to acquire. Should the Ducks make him available the Red Wings may make another attempt.

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Bryan Allen. Photo courtesy Flickr user bridgetds.

Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News also believes that Hurricanes defenseman Bryan Allen and New York Islanders goalie Evgeni Nabokov may also be in the mix.

With $5.7 million of salary cap space at their disposal, the money is there to bring in a number of depth players before the deadline. Or perhaps go after an impact player. Not so fast, says Holland. The Red Wings GM is looking to add a more of a “complementary piece than a star player” and aren’t interested in parting with anything other than “draft picks, middling prospects and/or fringe players.”

Barring some star player getting moved, the trade deadline is about adding the right pieces, complementary pieces to fill out your roster. There’s the odd trade at the deadline that changes the balance of power, but at the end of the day, when I look at the Vancouver Canucks last year, they made some real nice trades at the deadline that gave them some depth, brought them some grit and were important players. Boston made two or three trades as well. They weren’t the big names, they were guys that were the perfect fit.

With both Shane Doan of the Phoenix Coyotes and Jarome Iginla of the Calgary Flames highly unlikely to be put on the trade market by their respective teams, high profile names may be few and far between.

The Ducks may decide that in addition to a veteran like Selanne, they may explore the possibility of trading stars Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Bobby Ryan, but the asking price (rumored to be established NHL players) may be too rich for the Red Wing’s blood.

That could leave New Jersey Devils forward Zach Parise and Nashville Predators‘ defenseman Ryan Suter as the biggest names in play this trade deadline.

Nashville Predators defenseman Ryan Suter. Photo courtesy Flickr user bridgetds.

Both are impending unrestricted free agents and may be shopped if they can’t be re-signed by their respective clubs before the 27th of February. However, the Red Wings may opt to keep the assets they would have to trade for Parise and Suter, and go after them in the summer when they be acquired for money alone.

Regardless, Holland expects things to heat up witching the next month or so.

Some teams are going to see in the next 4-5 weeks if they’re playing their way into being a buyer, a seller or sort of status quo. Last year, (deals) started to happen a month out, early February, so we’ll see.

And he’ll be prepared for whatever comes his way.

We like the way the team has performed. A lot of people have had good first halves. But the trade deadline is coming. We have a lot of cap space. We’ve done a lot of drafting and developing since 2005, saving our picks. I don’t know if we have to do anything, but certainly in the next six weeks we’re going to explore.