It’s just a few weeks from February 27, 2012, and in the NHL that only means one thing: we’re just a couple of weeks away from seeing the full teams that will be going into the playoffs. Of course that’s trade deadline day, and there’s a whole ton of talk about who’s going where. Here’s a look at the biggest names being thrown around.

Boston – Boston’s an interesting team this trade because they’ve already got lots of talent, and lots of wiggle room in that salary cap of theirs. GM Peter Chiarelli has also added fuel to the fire, saying that he’s looking to add more depth to his entire team. Who would they be looking to add to their team? A few prospects are Hall Gill, Bryan Allen, Brett Clark, Mike Mottau, and possibly Jaroslav Spacek. Who would they give up? Most likely Jared Knight or Jordan Caron.

Chicago – If Chiarelli wants those players to wear a Boston jersey, he’s going to have to hurry as word is that Chicago Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman wants many of those same players. Who would he be willing to let go of? That hasn’t really been made public, although Bowman hasn’t been shy about speaking out on the fact that his team needs some improvement and most preferably, in the way of new players.

Edmonton – Most of the talk in Edmonton right now surrounds Ryan Smyth, who’s been the NHL’s ping pong ball for the past several years. Smyth was just sent back to the Oilers last year and the talk really only came after a reporter for the New York Post said something. Smyth has denied any talk of a trade, saying that he’s not eager to move yet again. But while Smyth might not have anything to worry about, the same can’t be said for Ales Hemsky or Andy Sutton, who are both on the chopping block.

Carolina – In Carolina, it’s the defensemen that are likely going to go. Ruutu is one of the hottest topics right now and he’s even said there are rumors that he’s going to every team in the league. But Ottawa’s really interested him so if he goes anywhere it could be there. Jaroslav Spacek and Bryan Allen are also said to possibly not be on Carolina’s roster for much longer.

Ottawa – Ottawa is in a tough spot. Coming off a terrible season last year, they unloaded some of their top talent and drafted young, all with the hopes of rebuilding and maybe having a decent hockey team within the next several years. Now over halfway into the season, they’re fighting for a playoff spot and people have been taking them seriously for months! So, what’s their best move? That’s where it gets tricky. Do they trade away even more talent, for a hope at the Cup run? Or do they play it safe and stick to what they’ve got? Hard to say but it’s safe to say they might be willing to take some risks seeing as how there’s all that Ruutu talk going around.