Another NHL season is underway and like every season comes with an always-active rumor mill. 

Only three weeks into the 2009-10 NHL campaign the biggest name being bandied about is forward Alexander Frolov of the Los Angeles Kings, whose recent one-game benching for a perceived lack of commitment to his game has give rise to rumors linking him with the Edmonton Oilers, Chicago Blackhawks and Montreal Canadiens in the 

It remains to be seen if this move will spark a better effort from Frolov, a former two-time 30-plus goal-scorer who after nine NHL games this season has only one goal and seven points. 

Frolov is also an unrestricted free agent next summer and it's believed he no longer fits into the Kings future plans, which only adds more fuel to the rumor fires. 

Sure, it's possible the Kings could trade Frolov, but it'll be very surprising if they do so before the NHL's week-long Christmas trade freeze which begins December 19th.

The reason for my doubts is quite simple: since the 2005-06 season only two star players - Joe Thornton and Sergei Fedorov - were traded in the first three months of an NHL season, and both those trades occurred in November 2005.

Frolov isn't a "star" on the same level as Thornton is and Fedorov was but a winger who's scored over 30 goals in two of the past three seasons like Frolov could be considered a second tier star. Players of that caliber also aren't moved in the first three months of an NHL season in today's salary cap world. 

Sure, Frolov has value given his previous production and the fact that at 27 he's now considered in his playing prime. That's not why he'll be tough to move in the autumn.

Frolov is being paid $4 million for this season, a number which most NHL teams would have trouble swallowing at this time of year. Not only does the return have to make sense for the Kings but the salary numbers have to fit for the club acquiring him. 

If the Kings decide to put him on the trade block it'll likely happen between January 1st and the NHL's March 3rd trade deadline, excluding the two weeks in February when the league will shut down for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. 

By mid-season half of Frolov's  $4 million will have been paid out by the Kings, making the remainder more affordable for rival clubs. The closer to the trade deadline, the more of his salary is paid by the Kings, the less having to be picked up by any interested parties. 

His trade status will also be determined not just by his performance but of the Kings over the course of the season. If Frolov plays well for most of the season and the Kings are a playoff contender he won't be dealt. If he's playing poorly or the Kings are out of the playoff race by the trade deadline he'll probably be moved. 

Now of course there's always exceptions to every rule and Frolov could be dealt earlier in this season, but given the aforementioned variables I wouldn't expect Frolov, or any other notable NHL players, to be traded between now and New Year's Day.  

The Washington Capitals recent "demotion" of center Michael Nylander to the AHL's Grand Rapid Griffins for a two-week conditioning stint has resulted in a minor resurrection of speculation he could either be traded to another NHL team or perhaps loaned to a European club, possibly in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). 

The way I read it, this is a last chance measure for Capitals management to hopefully drum up some interest in the 37-year-old center. 

Two years ago the Capitals signed Nylander, who was coming off an 83-point performance with the NY Rangers in 2006-07, to a four-year contract worth $4.875 milllion against their salary cap per season. 

The thinking was Nylander might mesh well with young Capitals superstar Alexander Ovechkin as a set-up center, and early in the 2007-08 campaign the early returns were promising. 

Alas, Nylander tore a rotator cuff in a game against the Florida Panthers resulting in season-ending surgery several weeks later. 

During his absence the Capitals, under new head coach Bruce Boudreau, began turning into a playoff contender while young Swedish center Nicklas Backstrom eventually took over the first line center role from Nylander. 

Last season Nylander played in 72 games but saw less and less ice time as he tumbled down the Caps depth chart, losing the confidence of Boudreau along the way. His expensive contract, with a "no-movement" clause effective to the end of the 2009-10 season, became a burden on the Capitals budget. 

This season Nylander has been a healthy scratch throughout the pre-season and all the Capitals regular season games thus far, spending his time in the press box. The club cannot trade him or demote him to the minors without his consent.  

Boudreau and Capitals GM George McPhee alluded to rectifying his situation which most observers believed meant loaning him to a KHL team. The Caps would still be on the hook for most of his salary for this season but by loaning him overseas it clears his salary from their cap. 

Hence the reason - it's believed - for his two-week conditioning stint in the AHL. His salary still counts against the Capitals salary cap while he's there and he didn't have to pass through waivers, not that any NHL club is currently interested in plucking him off the waiver wire. 

Nylander didn't have to agree to that move but given he's not going to attract much attention as a healthy scratch this would give him the opportunity to prove himself as a worthy center to the rest of the hockey world and perhaps revive some attention in him. 

Despite some rumors out of Russia of possible interest in Nylander, including one claiming his former Rangers linemate and Avangard Omsk star Jaromir Jagr was actively stumping to be reunited with his former set-up man, it appears the window of opportunity for an overseas loan is closing. 

The Chicago Blackhawks went through a similar situation at the start of last season with goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin and ultimately were forced to keep him when no trades with NHL teams or loans to a European club could be found. 

The difference is, Khabibulin went on to become a key factor in the Blackhawks march to the 2009 Western Conference Final. 

Unless Backstrom and second line center Brendan Morrison end up going down to season-ending injuries, Nylander probably won't get the same chance to redeem himself this season with Washington that Khabibulin got last season with Chicago.

That'll likely mean that, barring a suspension if Nylander should suddenly get fed up and quit the team or announce his retirement, he'll be spending most of this season watching Capitals games rather than playing in them.

And the best the Capitals can likely hope for is a rival NHL team to get so decimated by injuries or so desperate to make the playoffs they'll be willing to make an offer for Nylander.

If I were a member of the Capitals management, I wouldn't get those hopes up.  

Last night I received an e-mail claiming ESPN radio in Pittsburgh reporting Phoenix Coyotes forward Georges Laraque could be on his way to the Penguins provided he waives his no-trade clause.

I received another e-mail from a source this morning claiming the deal was all but done, and a report in today's Arizona Republic suggests this swap could occur soon. No word on what the return would be from the Pens.

Keep an eye on this one, folks, for if these reports are correct (and I don't see any reason why they wouldn't be), this deal could go down as early as today. Stay tuned...

 **UPDATE** According to reports, the Coyotes apparently put a steep asking price on Laraque's services:  a No. 1 and a prospect, for Laraque and a second- or third-round pick".  Hat tip to "BlackGoldPenguin21" for posting this in the comments thread. I agree, that's too much to pay for an enforcer like Laraque, and I don't see anyone, let alone the Pens, paying that price.

The Coyotes will have to come down on that price if they intend to move Laraque, who's apparently been told he won't be playing another game with the Coyotes between now and the deadline on Tuesday.