Nobody ever tells me if a player is "on the block" or not, so my take on rumors is that they are educated guesses.

I talk to people and read the actual words they say, the tone in which they are spoken, the body language of the person saying these words. It's a complicated game, but one in which you hope your guesses have some basis in your ability to process information.

Here is my guess on the Stars:

Valeri Nichushkin is not on the block. I think the Stars very much like Valeri Nichushkin, and they are hopeful in his advancement as a player.

Stars GM Jim Nill is the most patient administrator I have met, and Nichushkin is a 20-year-old with incredible physical gifts who missed most of last season with a hip injury. Let's just say his potential for future improvement is high.

So, do I think that Jim Nill is hoping to move Nichushkin? No.

Do I think Nichushkin's name could have come up in a conversation about what Nill is willing to give up to get a very good player? Yeah, that's possible. Just as it's possible that the name of Julius Honka has come up, that Nill would consider trading the skilled defenseman despite the fact he might be the most prized prospect in the organization.

Here's why: The Stars have a lot of prospects, and they are probably going to have to lose some in the future.

In my opinion, Nill is testing the waters to see what the temperature is, how people feel about his prospects, what he might be able to get for his prospects. While it's possible that Nichushkin, Brett Ritchie, Jason Dickinson, Devin Shore, Radek Faksa and Denis Gurianov all share the ice at one time, it's unlikely in the world of pro sports. While it's possible that John Klingberg leads a group that includes Honka, Jamie Oleksiak, Patrik Nemeth, Jyrki Jokipakka, Esa Lindell and Stephen Johns, that's also unlikely.

So you look at each as an asset and you try to measure their value in the market place. That's one of the reasons Nill is in on so many of these conversations: So he knows where his stock prices sit.

If you look at the trades Nill has swung so far, the players going out have not hurt the organization terribly. While Loui Eriksson is missed, the Stars feel they have been able to replace Reilly Smith and Matt Fraser. Were those the players that Boston requested, or were they ones Nill said he was able to part with? While Nick Paul might end up being a fantastic player, the Stars feel they have been able to replace Alex Chiasson and Alex Guptill, who went to the Ottawa Senators for Jason Spezza.

However it has happened, Nill has been able to negotiate the proper losses.

Sending Trevor Daley and Ryan Garbutt to Chicago is another example of Nill seemingly managing his assets pretty well.

So then, as you try to make an educated guess on where the Stars might be going before the Feb. 29 trade deadline, it doesn't make sense that Nill would be putting Valeri Nichushkin "on the block." That's not what you would consider to be intelligent management of a very nice asset.

When you consider the fact Nill could be saving up his assets for a potential big move in the summer, it also seems to shoot down any thought that Nichushkin could be traded now. Last summer, Nill wasn't intently pursuing Patrick Sharp, but it was made clear to him that Sharp was available. Because the Stars had cap space, and because Nill was building a franchise that was intriguing to talented veteran players, Dallas became a team that could help Chicago out. The defending Stanley Cup champions needed to shed salary and they needed to find a way to move a player who had a no-trade clause.

The Stars were one of the very few teams who fit those requirements, so Nill drove a hard bargain. He sent Daley and Garbutt away and got Chicago to toss in Stephen Johns. That's a good deal for Dallas...such a good deal that Nill might be looking for a repeat this summer.

Because of the shrinking Canadian dollar, the salary cap could be the same next year or even go down. Because good teams with good players could be in salary cap trouble, the Stars will be able to offer assistance by taking on a very good player with a somewhat big contract. With seven potential UFAs coming off the books, they could have cap space. With a bright future as a franchise, they could entice players to waive their no-trade clauses. And with plenty of prospects to trade, they could be able to swing a deal for almost anyone in the league.

That's a powerful place to be — and, it would seem illogical that Nill would weaken that position by putting one of his top young players "on the block" right now.

If a team is looking to move a quality player with a big contract before the trade deadline, then pretty much any of the prospects are in play. But it seems the most patient GM in hockey is not in a hurry when it appears he could hold even more sway in the future.

But that's just an educated guess on my part.