The latest from the Ottawa Sun, ESPN, Toronto Sun and Edmonton Journal.

OTTAWA SUN: Bruce Garrioch reports the Chicago Blackhawks limited cap space and need to re-sign stars Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith has led to some interesting names being dangled as trade bait, such as defenseman Brian Campbell, who was offered to the Ottawa Senators last summer for Dany Heatley. He also cites a league executive speculating forwards Patrick Sharp or Kris Versteeg could be available....the NY Rangers are trying to move struggling winger Christopher Higgins...the Barry Trotz era could be over in Nashville as the Predators are 5-6-1...Minnesota Wild GM Chuck Fletcher is shopping for a scoring forward...Forget the talk of the Canadiens shopping goalie Carey Price as GM Bob Gainey still believes Price is his team's goalie of the future. Garrioch claims several teams have inquired about Jaroslav Halak but Gainey won't move him until Price fixes his game...Some NHL insiders are wondering if Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson will last the season...Anaheim GM Bob Murray is itching to make a deal with his team off to a rough start. He's seeking scoring depth and Todd Marchant is likely available but there's isn't much market for role players these days. Teams are interested in forward Bobby Ryan but he's not going anywhere.

SPECTOR'S NOTE: The Blackhawks will have an easier time moving Sharp and/or Versteeg than they will Campbell, whose $7 million-plus per season makes him almost impossible to trade...Higgins stock has really plummeted and if the Rangers are shopping him I doubt they'll find any takers...Trotz cannot be blamed for the lack of offensive depth on his club...Fletcher might have to try shopping Josh Harding if he hopes to land another scoring forward but his slow start this season might adversely affect his market value...The talk of Price being shopped was ridiculous, and I agree with Garrioch that Halak won't be moved until Price gets his game in gear...Burke maintains Wilson won't be fired and I  believe him...The Ducks would have to offer up something more substantial if they want to land more offensive depth but I agree it won't be Ryan.

ESPN.COM: Pierre LeBrun reports a trade that "makes too much sense" is Anaheim goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere going to Toronto, as the Leafs are on his short list of preferred destinations and moving him would free up considerable cap space for the Ducks. LeBrun believes the Leafs may have given acquiring Giguere some serious thought and noted the Leafs will have some extra bodies at forward when Phil Kessel makes his debut later this month, suggesting shopping a player like Alexei Ponikarovsky to the Ducks...The Washington Capitals could - like the Chicago Blackhawks - face some salary cap issues next summer. They've begun preliminary talks with impending RFAs Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin although LeBrun hears talks with the latter "aren't going well", noting the "usual rumblings" that several KHL teams could be interested in him if he's unsigned next July. They'll also have to make a decision over re-signing goalie Jose Theodore who's eligible for UFA status...Talks continue between the Atlanta Thrashers and Ilya Kovalchuk's agent but the Thrashers won't let this drag on throughout the season...Carolina Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford hasn't given up on the season and still believes in the core of his team but with nine contracts due to come off the books next summer he's in the market for some youth.

SPECTOR'S NOTE: Giguere to Toronto might make sense but he still has to agree to the move. Don't forget, his young son's medical condition is part of the reason he wanted to stay in Anaheim. Still, if he were willing to accept a trade to Toronto perhaps arrangements could be made to address his son's situation. A forward like Ponikarovsky might interest the Ducks. Still, it remains to be seen if Leafs GM Brian Burke would be willing to take on Giguere, particularly given his slow start and recent injury woes...Semin would probably be willing to stay with the Caps and play with Ovechkin for the right price. Keeping he and Backstrom in Washington could cost between $11-$13 million per season...Kovalchuk's contract situation could come to a head before the end of this month...Not sure what the Hurricanes might offer up. There's an internet rumor circulating that has Ray Whitney on the block but he's got a "no-movement" .

TORONTO SUN: Steve Simmons dismissed speculation the Maple Leafs might find a market for struggling goaltender Vesa Toskala, suggesting the only chance the Leafs have to move him before the trade deadline is to demote him and then place him on recall waivers and even then it's a long shot a rival team claims him.

SPECTOR'S NOTE: Agreed. If the Leafs want to remove him from their cap hit they'll have to bury him in the minors. And no, I don't see the Anaheim Ducks taking on Toskala as part of a swap for Giguere. As things stand now I think the Ducks would prefer to stick with Giguere and Jonas Hiller for the time being.

EDMONTON JOURNAL: Jim Matheson reports of some talk the Buffalo Sabres might try to acquire former Sabre Martin Biron from the NY Islanders due to a lack of confidence in backup Patrick Lalime.

SPECTOR'S NOTE: Interesting rumor but Biron won't be going anywhere until Isles starter Rick DiPietro is back in the lineup and even then the Sabres would be in a bidding war as there are several teams which would likely be interested in Biron later this season.