Bobby Ryan

Anytime a team gets off to a horrific start, an influx of rumors involving players, coaches and general managers are quickly brought about.

With word that Philadelphia's captain Chris Pronger is out for the rest of the season, the focus now turns to Claude Giroux and what will become of the future superstar.

Claude was accidentally kneed in the back of the head by his teammate Wayne Simmonds a few games back, and hasn't been feeling right ever since. There is still hope that he will return this season, but the longer he's out of the lineup, the less and less likely it will be that he sees ice time again this year.

The 2011-12 season is, so far, not one to remember for the Anaheim Ducks. 

Since their storied 2007 Stanley Cup run, Anaheim has followed a familiar pattern of, at best, an average performance during the first half of the season followed by an elite level of play during the second half, which barely squeezes them into a playoff spot.

The NHL rumor mill is on full blast already. Some of the biggest names in the league have been mixed up in the trade talks, but most of it will not come to fruition.

Players like Jarome Iginla and Rick Nash are annually involved in the midst of all the trade rumors but nothing ever happens.

The following list is of the stars that may be involved in the rumors, but will be wearing the same colors once the deadline passes.

The Colorado Avalanche have had an up and down year so far and are looking to try and get their season back on track.

One of the ways the Avalanche might consider in order to make this improvement is the trade market, where there are some seriously interesting prospects.

Looking at Colorado, their biggest need is in their forwards, both in size and scoring ability.

Here are some players that would help the Avalanche improve their team.

The New York Rangers have depth and could be considered front-runners in the Bobby Ryan sweepstakes, but the Anaheim Ducks just made things interesting by bringing in Bruce Boudreau.  This could also complicate things for the Rangers. 

Teemu Selanne has played in 1,259 games in his NHL career. He has 637 goals and 703 assists for 1,340 points. Not so long ago, those totals would have been deemed impossible.

The Anaheim Ducks were so close to nabbing a 3-2 lead in their series against Nashville last Friday. So, so close.

Forget about the most amazing goal of the playoffs. This might have been the best goal of the season.

In Friday night’s pivotal Game 5 of the Predators-Ducks series in Anaheim, the score was tied 1-1 as the third period got underway.

At his own blue line, Anaheim forward Bobby Ryan—who just returned from a two-game suspension—broke up a pass from Nashville’s David Legwand and raced toward the Predators' goal.

So far in the first round of the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs, there have been a number of exactly the type of hits the NHL says it wants to eliminate.